Ratchet & Clank: A Legacy in Penumbra
by xXxCrescent MoonxXx
Summary: One year after the Prog twins incident a stranger arrives in Meridian City right after a warlord with sinister intentions knocks on Ratchet's door. When he claims he holds the key to the warlord's elimination Ratchet embarks on a mission that will force him to learn more about his father and legacy. Will Ratchet survive all odds or will he perish by the wounds he himself re-opened?
1. Prologue

**A/N: I'm not exaggerating when I say I can't believe I'm finally posting this! I've been working on this story since the 7th of January and it's not even finished. The plot is already planned out and the story is going to be 24 chapters long (including prologue and epilogue). You can check the progress of the story on my profile, I'm keeping it updated constantly (make sure you scroll down though). Although several chapters are already written, it will take some time to post each chapter. That's because I want to edit some parts and read them again and again to make sure they can be shown to the public.**

 **The day I chose to post the prologue and thus, seal the beginning of the story is not random; Today, 1st of July, marks the anniversary of finding out about this fantastic franchise called Ratchet & Clank. I'm officially a fan for one whole year! And I'm certain many years of pure awesomeness are about to follow. No one on their right mind would ever get tired of this amazing duo and their adventures! And the hype is REAL! A movie and a PS4 game next year? Gimme, gimme and have all my bolts! Okay I've irritated you with my rumbling long enough, let's just move on.**

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 **Extended Summary: **_**All great wars bring about a devastating aftermath for endless hatred defines their existence… One year after the Prog twins incident a stranger arrives in Meridian City right after a warlord with intentions more sinister than imagined knocks on Ratchet's door. When he claims he holds the key to the warlord's elimination Ratchet embarks on a mission that will force him to learn more about his father and legacy. But hard choices must be made in the end. Will Ratchet survive all odds and find closure or will he perish by the wounds he himself re-opened?**_

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 **Prologue (After every bane…)**

A dry sun rose to enlighten the desert lands. Beneath its penetrating rays a lonely figure marched wearily, his footsteps imprinted on the sand and thus, on the endless pages of this planet's history, a world which resided forgotten and lost into two mirrors; the galaxy it belonged to and its flawed reflection. A world untouched by the furious tide that had plagued Polaris on the year 5339.

Truths had led to hate so fiery it had caused the unforgiving fall of an entire race. A massacre. The end of an era. The creature wandering through the scorched wastelands was a survivor of that cruel genocide. He had everything taken away from him through bloodshed and decay. He had been betrayed by a friend he trusted with his life for his actions sealed the end of prosperity. No winds of Renaissance would blow on Fastoon anymore, life would no longer bloom there. Hymns of desolation shall now be its warden while ghosts of what once shone and thrived proudly shall haunt the planet with the presence of ruins and ash. The reign of tragedy, Polaris' new dying star.

The figure continued his walk with the unsettling silence of solitude, hardly disturbed by the heat. On the contrary, it seemed to soothe his hostile thoughts and chase away his fear of impending doom as it reminded him of home. The sun shining on his golden fur couldn't make him feel more welcome on this new-found sanctuary. However, he had been here before… His steps were slow, lacking the zeal of an energetic creature that he had always been throughout his life. The reason was obvious, he was in terrible pain due to his wounds and aching bruises. Dry blood was present in various parts of his stature, covering his brown-striped fur. His encounter with the tyrannical perpetrator of that unspeakable disaster hadn't ended up very well. Most of the times he thought about it, he considered it a miracle to have survived. And those other few times, he found it a curse that forced him to live one more day beneath the shadow of destruction and sorrow.

In addition to that, there was much mental pain that burdened him as well and made him crawl in such a seemingly helpless manner. Loss and desperation were already pushing him to the edge of his sanity, heavenly madness dwelling on the other side. The fight within was becoming harder and harder to win. Everytime he closed his eyes, not that he wanted to rest but there were those irritating times his body just refused to go on and so he was forced to, the face of his beloved wife appeared to make his search for oblivion restless and tormenting. His wife, his beautiful wife gone to the hands of that ungrateful psychopath. And then his son, a mere infant completely unaware of the devastation that had changed his life forever. Far, far away where he could never be found. Obliged to live away from the shelter of his kind. Condemned to solitude only because one single Cragmite had decided so. And the device to find that shelter out of reach for either of them. Guarded by secrets and enigmas. Safe so their glorious race can live on… without them…

The figure finally reached a remote village where he knew the landlord lived. It wasn't long until the friendly inhabitant of the desert planet welcomed him cordially and offered him shelter from the sun and his lonely, haunting thoughts. With his destination now reached, the troubled survivor revealed the reason behind his visit. He requested to have a map hidden on this planet. Little did the landlord understand, however for the sake of old days and as an act of gratitude for what the outsider had done for his precious lands, he accepted to assist the one in need. He rushed to provide the traveller with medical care but the furry creature had refused, claiming it would waste his time and time for him was precious and the waste of it crucial for the future of races and nations. Without any further insistence, the landlord allowed him to leave.

The victim of revenge spent hours trekking to his desired location in order to secure the map and hide the tracks that led to it, making sure the treasure would only be trespassed by one of his own kind. And not just anyone. Hopefully, his son… As cruel as it seemed, the time would come when he would have to follow this path. If he managed to survive until then…

His injuries hurt more and more and at this point he cursed under his breath for being unable to find some nanotech. He knew it was newly invented technology and as a result, only partially trustworthy but it would have made matters much easier and plus, it wouldn't take any time to heal him. It seemed the hard way liked him too much. Despite his pain, he refused to give up. He wasn't done yet. He had to protect what was left, or else he would die undignified and all of his efforts would be in vain. He had one last thing to take care of before the ravenous Cragmite caught up with him.

With a final, though dim, thought of hope the figure climbed into the ship and moments later he took off, abandoning the sun and his last chance to give up.


	2. Some Things Never Change

**A/N: I'd like to say thanks to Saij McCloud, zenith88, pink-cherry-005, Omegawatcher and that kind Guest for their lovely reviews! Also, thank you everyone who favourited/followed my story, it's truly encouraging!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any characters mentioned in the story and the rights of Ratchet  & Clank are certainly not mine. Insomniac Games is the owner of the franchise, always has and (hopefully) always will be.**

 **With that being said, I introduce you to the first Part of the story. If you're interested in knowing more about the Parts that consist the story, you can search my profile.**

 **NOTE: The chapter has been edited and re-written. Yay! I hope you enjoy the improved version.**

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 **~ Part I: Illumination ~**

 **Chapter 1: Some Things Never Change**

" _Greetings everyone. I am Kip Darling_ " a male voice was broadcast through the radio.

" _And I'm… well, you already know who I am_ " a woman spoke cheerfully.

" _Pepper Fairbanks, ladies and gentlemen_ ". A catchy music played on the background, indicating the beginning of the news broadcast. Once it was over, Pepper was the first to speak.

" _Intergalactic hero known as Ratchet, cuter than ever, caused damage to several shops during a fight with a civilian in Meridian City. What exactly happened, Kip? Isn't Ratchet supposed to protect the civilians?_ "

" _Ratchet was waiting in line to acquire the latest holo-gaming system, VG-Myriad, with another notable hero, Clank_ " Kip informed his colleague and the listeners.

" _Do those two use the same bathroom at the same time?_ " a third person commented with deliberately evinced indignation in his voice. Both Kip and Pepper ignored the question, thinking no one would care to hear further discussion on the comment.

Pepper went on. " _When Clank moved away, a civilian named Dort Ockenton stepped into the queue taking Ratchet's place. Arguing ensued and then a hoverbike race between Ratchet and Mr. Ockenton took place, the purpose of which was to "prove who's skilled enough to actually_ own _a VG-Myriad" according to Ockenton's words._ "

" _Wow. I'm impressed, Pepper. This did sound professional!_ " Kip noticed. He shortly went on with the news report. " _The hoverbike race caused severe damage to shops, as Pepper mentioned earlier. Mr. Ockenton claimed that it was Ratchet's driving that caused all the damage adding that "it's obvious he (Ratchet) beat me (Ockenton) by pure luck, but his messy driving truly show who should own a VG-Myriad". Witnesses confirmed that Ratchet was the cause of most damage._ "

" _He's under arrest at the moment and will remain so for three days. That is unless he's bailed out of course. I suppose even heroes become wacky, don't they?_ " Pepper asked with a tone that showed she was rather entertained.

" _Well I suppose they do, Pepper. From time to time_ " Kip said in a serious manner, trying to counter Pepper's unprofessional observation. " _We will return to our regular program right after our commercial break._ "

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

The cell was probably the most irksome place Ratchet had ever been to. It felt like he was trapped in a realm of contradiction, the chattering of organics and robots and the light of Polaris' radiant sun in perfect disparity with the stodgy room. The austere design of the walls wasn't promising a pleasant stay and Ratchet could swear the dull room and the bars had a cynical mood and were bent on reminding him that consequences of reckless decisions didn't come in the form of prejudice. The fact that he had saved entire galaxies multiple times didn't mean the Universe would be kinder to him when it came to mishaps.

The cell was empty save the damaged bed that was equipped with a torn mattress, a needless addition for it didn't seem to offer much convenience. The floor was metallic, in a harmonious coexistence with the steely walls. The light was of average intensity and Ratchet would like it to be brighter. The endurance match between him and the confining room went on and the more it continued, the more the cell's scornful attitude affected Ratchet's nerves. He ended up hating the walls, the ceiling, the bars, the lack of activity. He had been through much worse and three days weren't many. However, this wasn't too comforting a thought to put an end to his restiveness. If there was one efficient way of torturing the Lombax, it was keeping him restrained and unable to rush out and seize the day… or cause a total mess depending on his mood and the circumstances.

Ratchet was keeping himself occupied by leaning against a wall with hands folded and his foot constantly tapping the floor. The waning effect expected to be brought by the one and a half hours he had been held under custody never arrived. The intensity that guided his movements was timeless, untouched by the lack of energy every other individual would be chained with if they were in the same position. Sparks ignited by vigilance danced in his emerald eyes, his slightly lowered eyebrows making them reflect his wish to escape like mirrors.

The guard had been deprived of his patience during the years of watching prisoners and ensuring they remained into the pitiless clutch of the cynical cell. And even though the guard's forbearance was undergoing a major crisis, the detainees were never willing to commit themselves to silence. The young Lombax was certainly not an exception. The sound produced by Ratchet's boot everytime it came in contact with the floor was nightmarish. A perpetual notification that he was working. Tormenting suddenly seemed like a more fitting word. He mentally told himself the sound would stop, convincing himself that the waning effect time always brought within its passing would eventually come, even if it was to arrive belated. Another word popped in his mind; unbearable. It described the ordeal he was getting through perfectly. His expectations proved to be nothing more than false hope. The lack of patience engendered by years of work drove him to the need to protest, an urge irresistible.

"Will you quit it, boy? What's the deal, you're battery-powered or something?" the guard complained.

The sound of clacking stopped though the imaginary continuation of it lingered in the guard's ears for a little longer. Then silence. He inwardly thanked the Zoni for having it stop, an act unintentionally revealed through his wide smile.

Ratchet was no longer leaning on the wall. It looked like he was processing the guard's demand but in reality, he was failing tremendously to keep his composure away from indignation's reach. He hastily walked near the bars and kicked them with much force, his boot creating a merciless clang as soon as it came in contact with the bars and reverberating to dominate the entire room, not submitting to the discrimination between the watchman's area and the inmate's cell. Its echo announced defeat in a shrieking noise and the guard mentally cursed himself for feeling relief too soon.

"Seriously? I sit here with absolutely nothing to do, with these stupid walls and this stupid floor and this stupid bed and _you_ 're complaining? I'm _bored_!" Ratchet said loudly, his aforementioned failure boldly apparent in his voice. "That's the deal."

"It's only been one hour since they got you here. I was told furry guys are weird but I never believed it until now" the guard spoke as he sat back on his chair, stamina being in the same rank as patience on his list of personal traits.

"One and a half hours. And that's kinda racist."

"Whatever" the guard murmured and reverted his attention away from the Lombax. Despite the brief squabble, the guard felt rather pleased for there was no annoying clang anymore.

Ratchet was in no mood for chatting so he withdrew to his previous position. _'Now I lost my VG-Myriad because of that son of a Qwark. Speaking of whom, where on Igliak is he? He's supposed to bail me out'_ , he thought. The green-suited alien that proclaimed himself a hero to everyone on a daily basis had been hopelessly entrusted with the task of delivering the requisite amount of bolts in order for Ratchet to be released. However, the _friend_ from old days hadn't arrived yet. No matter how many times Ratchet asked himself, he received the same answer. It had been an unwise decision.

Ratchet's first option was Talwyn but the busy Markazian hadn't replied the call. The dutiful side of her had surfaced above all of her other traits for her role as the Captain of Polaris Defense Force was just powerful enough to steal away her time and attention as though they had become its hostages.

And then there was Clank. His best friend, his voice of reason and on many occasions a pillar of unbreakable patience. One couldn't wonder how Clank had grown to become so even-tempered if they knew he spent all of his days with Ratchet. Years of practice was the answer. The hard-to-tame Lombax was aware of the turmoil his reckless actions often caused to Clank. The least he needed at the moment was to make him worry. He even thought that if he managed to get his tail out of the Social Disturbance Department before news of the event spread he wouldn't tell him. Thus, he was led to the decision of notifying Qwark. However, the egomaniacal hero had yet to show up.

"I'm full of bad ideas today" he silently spoke to himself. "Hey, I need to make another call" Ratchet told the guard. The thought that Talwyn might answer this time filled him with hopes of evading the dull cell and the vicious effect it had on him.

"Not gonna happen, kid" the guard turned Ratchet's demand down immediately, not even bothering to send him a glance let alone move from the comfort of his chair.

Suddenly, the door budged and Ratchet turned his attention to the direction of the sound, his ears perking up in interest. He wasn't expecting any familiar faces to appear but the realm of contradiction he was seemingly trapped in was beginning to crumble and limit its existence into the lack of silence the door and the footsteps brought about. Another guard walked in and moved closer to the bars and towards Ratchet's temporary though inhospitable shelter. He slightly narrowed his eyes in pure curiosity. Only when the guard grabbed a security card out of his pocket did the one responsible for watching the foolhardy Lombax show interest in the new person that had invaded the dull silence.

"What do ya think you're doin', fella?" the guard who was no longer sitting on the chair inquired.

"He's been bailed out" the other guard explained in a throaty voice, deeper than the first guard's.

With childlike eagerness making his tail move joyfully, Ratchet watched as the security card moved to the port next to the door, his expression as if he had laid his hands on blueprints that held the key to a marvelous invention. The beeping that was heard made his ears flinch as a sign of enthusiasm and as a chain-reaction the well-maintained door consisted of bars opened. Ratchet smiled triumphantly and walked out of the cell and towards the door.

He opened the door with lively movements and walked into the main hall, ready to either thank Qwark for doing something selfless for probably the first time in his life or remind him of how stupid he was for taking him so long to come and fulfill one simple favour. Ratchet would decide later which one he would do. As he approached the end of the hall he was faced with none other than Talwyn Apogee and Clank. _'Aw great'_ , he thought, knowing that a lecture about good manners and civility was about to follow.

"There he is" Talwyn spoke vividly and ran towards Ratchet. Clank walked more slowly, following the same route. "How did this happen, Ratchet? What were you thinking? How did you get yourself in trouble?"

 _'Fantastic, here come the questions.'_ "Well, you see, um, it was this guy's fault." Ratchet uttered while scratching the back of his head. It was a sign he was feeling awkward and Clank knew that.

"But the news said it was you who caused most of the damage" Clank spoke in return, always finding the right way to refute Ratchet's justifications when he made something silly. He would admit it to no one but himself but he found it rather entertaining whenever he messed with his organic friend.

"You're supposed to be on my side, pal."

"How can I? I did not see you in the queue so I assumed you had just managed to move into the electronics store. I leave for two minutes and you get into a fight" Clank presented his point of view.

"Hey, he started it. He took my place in the line. I was supposed to have my VG-Myriad by now and instead-"

"Enough!" Talwyn interrupted the duo. "Clank, you know he's reckless. What made you leave?"

Clank opened the slot in his chest and firmly held a remarkably thick book. "Larry Hatter and the Chalice of Ice is out. I had to buy it" he informed and then laughed with his typical trademark laughter.

Talwyn sighed and shook her head. _'Boys will be boys'_ , she voicelessly reminded herself. "Anyway, you should be glad Clank came and told me what he heard in the news. Then I saw your call and I came to bail you out as fast as I could."

"I called Qwark after that and apparently he hasn't shown up yet" Ratchet informed while rubbing his chin. The look on his face indicated he was feeling irked.

"Do you think something happened to him?" Clank asked worried.

"Nah, he's just being himself" Ratchet replied.

Talwyn was thoughtful for a while. "Why don't you guys go to find out? You know, just to be sure. I have to return to the Defense Force."

"No need. I'm sure he's fine, playing the super hero, caring about no one but himself" Ratchet stated casually but Clank didn't seem very convinced.

"Ratchet…?"

"Okay, fine. Let's go" he finally agreed.

The uncomfortably high temperature of the Social Disturbance Department as well as the absence of proper air-conditioning made Ratchet's urge to leave even harder to ignore. He was absolutely certain that whoever designed this building used all of his talents to an extent greater than demanded to make it intolerable for a long stay. He concluded it was probably a form of discipline so as to prevent any troublemakers from repeating their mischievous acts. Perhaps it was the reason why the guard he had spoken to was so grumpy. Yes, it was probably it. Otherwise why would he have such an outbreak? Ratchet hadn't done anything wrong in the cell.

Thoughts about the structure of the building and the guard abandoned him as soon as he found himself beneath the warm rays of the sun. The cool air blew against his furry face and Ratchet didn't even resist closing his eyes as the realisation that he was free made the sunlight golden as if by miracle and the air became more rejuvenating than the use of Nanotech whenever he was injured.

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

Ratchet and Clank reached Qwark's luxurious apartment after a stroll and a much needed lecture about good manners and civility which Ratchet knew was unavoidable. He merely smiled, assuring Clank he wouldn't perform any careless deeds in the near future though he couldn't guarantee his mood for caution would last for long. Clank was certain Ratchet was not honest when it came to his undying habit of getting himself into trouble, no matter how much the Lombax wanted to remain true to his word. His friend's words though were enough to keep the robot at ease for the time being so he let his friend enjoy the relatively uneventful walk that he knew both were in need of. Being a hero didn't come with a vacation package so every day of peace was a much appreciated one. In addition, he really wanted to read about Larry Hatter's latest adventure and the significance of the mysterious Chalice. He needed such days now more than ever.

The duo exited the elevator and the moment they reached the apartment's door Ratchet knocked on it. Nothing but stillness ensued so he tried again but to no avail. The two friends exchanged glances and thereafter, Ratchet attempted to just open the door. A slight push was all it took for the old door to open, its age in perfect contrast with the interior of Qwark's living quarters.

The sight in front of them brought expressions of both confusion and fear on their faces. They encountered the strangest welcome of their lives in the sound of a beastly growl and the form of a large, white-haired creature. Still as statues they openly showed their discontent by the fact that the War Grok known as Snowball, or Qwark's pet, was the one to let them in. The threatening growling stopped but before the absence of that disheartening sound could bring any calmness it returned even louder, making Clank blink and Ratchet's fur stand up like small spikes.

" Uh, Clank? Do War Groks eat Lombaxes?"

"I am afraid they are their favourite meal, Ratchet."

"Perfect!"

It didn't take long for the strangest rescue of their lives to take place as Skrunch jumped on Snowball's back and pulled its hair, shouting with so much energy that anyone would assume he was in Cryosleep for three days in a row. Then the one-eyed monkey leaped off Snowball's back and a crazy chase began, leaving space for Ratchet and Clank to enter.

"Were we just saved by a monkey? Can this day get any weirder?"

"Do not underestimate him, Ratchet. He proved to be quite helpful when we were fighting Dr. Nefarious for the first time."

"I admit it, he was much more helpful than Qwark" Ratchet said half mockingly, half annoyed only to hear his name be uttered by Clank in a 'stop-being-so-impolite' manner.

After a brief exploration into the apartment, they found Qwark inside a room filled with fitness equipment standing still on a chair with his arms outstretched. He wore a tuxedo that looked uncomfortably tight on him. Another man, who seemed to be the same species as him, was using the measuring tape to calculate his client's body proportions.

"Qwark? What are you doing?" Ratchet asked in bewilderment.

"What are _you_ doing? You're supposed to be under arrest and I'm supposed to bail out my sidekick to show the universe how inconceivably compassionate I am. I'm on my way, go back to your cell!" Qwark spoke as if what he had uttered was entirely normal and then resumed his previous task of… standing still on a chair with his arms outstretched.

Ratchet stared at him with eyes wide open and mouth agape in confusion. Sensing his friend's bewilderment, or at least this was how he wanted to interpret Ratchet's reaction rather than assume the Lombax had thoughts of succumbing to his trigger-happy tendencies, Clank was the next to speak. "Pardon me Qwark, but why did you not go to the Social Disturbance Department to help Ratchet?"

"Yeah, you said you'd come. But you didn't. Why am I surprised?" Ratchet added.

"You sidekicks have a lot to learn. People appreciate compassion nowadays. After freeing Ratchet I'd have the paparazzi I just hired photograph me so the public would know how much I appreciate my helpers. But alas, my tuxedo got smaller and I had to get a new one" Qwark explained in a dramatic tone while taking a heroic pose.

"You mean I had to come all the way from Solana to sew you a new one" the tailor protested.

"Shut up and get back to work. I shouldn't even be paying you for sewing a tuxedo for Captain Qwark. In fact, you should be paying me for giving you the honour" Qwark argued. Ratchet's head felt as if it was about to explode. Had he just heard what he heard?

"And tuxedos don't become small. Apparently you became larger" the tailor spoke again.

"That's ridiculous! Right? Right?! Guys, have I gained any weight?" Qwark asked desperately.

"Yes you have, where the heck would you store all this ego?" Ratchet finally broke out. "I can't believe I almost got eaten by a War Grok only to check if you're okay. Come on, Clank. We've no business here" he said and began walking away. Clank did as he was told.

"No, wait. Will you please go back to your cell? I spent 600 bolts on those paparazzi" Qwark yelled but Ratchet didn't hear any more as he headed for the apartment door with his loyal friend walking by his side, both overlooking the fight between Skrunch and Snowball by which they thankfully escaped unaffected.

"What was I thinking? I shouldn't have counted on him" Ratchet realised with a frowned expression after he closed the door behind him. "Some things never change" he thought aloud.

"Indeed. Some things truly _never_ change" Clank repeated in a suggestive tone, letting the reference of Ratchet's actions that made him all too familiarised with the Social Disturbance Department linger between them. Ratchet had understood what Clank meant.

"Well this isn't always a bad thing, is it?" he simply said and smiled innocently.

 _'Why do I even bother?'_

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 **A/N: I know, light-hearted chapter. Enjoy it while it lasts for tons of drama will ensue!**

 **You did spot the Harry Potter reference, didn't you? In case you didn't, 'Larry Hatter and the Chalice of Ice' is a parody of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire which is my favourite movie out of the series. Yes movie, not book. I haven't read any Potter books. I'm that terrible.**

 **As always if there are problems concerning grammar, vocabulary or character presentation, I'd like to know so I can fix them. And if you're worried about the chapter length, this and chapter 3 are the shortest chapters I have written so far. The rest are longer so I hope upcoming chapters will make up for the length of this one (because I find it rather short). Until next time, happy reading/writing!**


	3. A Path Unveiled

**A/N: Every review and fav/follow notification is a ton of motivation. Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'd mention each one seperately but that would take a while. Don't worry, I know who you are and the interest you show makes me full of zeal. I'm grateful! :D**

 **Time to slowly progress the plot. Two characters of mine will be introduced here. I don't own Ratchet and Clank and all characters associated with them etc. etc. On with the story!**

 **NOTE: Chapter has been re-written. I admit, not many or significant changes have been made as it's filled with dialogues and adding too many descriptions or narrative parts would kind of disturb the fluency and** **immediacy of the conversations. I hope you find it a good chapter anyway.**

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 **Chapter 2: A Path Unveiled**

Night had befallen Meridian City and the two heroes were sleeping in their personal suite provided by the Defense Force but in different rooms. However, neither of them had sunk into a peaceful slumber.

Ratchet was panting and tossing in his sleep. Every unpleasant experience he had ever lived, the DreadZone, being tormented while having his DNA extracted, his fight against Tachyon, Clank's disappearance, Alister's death, the time he believed Talwyn was gone because of Artemis Zogg, losing Cronk and Zephyr, everything was taking place all over again right before his eyes. Images flashed before the black that failed to keep his sleep peaceful. Panic prevailing over physical tiredness, the years of his heroic deeds reflecting decay instead of triumph, backfiring in the form of invulnerable reminders of emotional traumas. Demons of the past seemed to hunt him and there was no way of driving them away. Not until he could find the strength to open his eyes.

 _"Only I know your true purpose in this galaxy. Only I know your_ true _name…"_

A shadowy figure appeared, looking as if he had escaped a forgotten, menacing part of the Netherverse. He floated closer and closer to him. There was so much darkness around him that no eyes or mouth could be distinguished. He looked as though he was faceless. Maybe he was. _"Ratchet…"_ he whispered the Lombax's name. The whispers became louder, revealing a brutal voice calling him with more intensity. The call became deafening and Ratchet couldn't take it any longer. He had to find the strength to open his eyes. He had to try. A little harder. And harder.

Ratchet woke up with an audible gasp, rapidly moving to a sitting position. He took deep breaths and after some seconds of pure, undisturbed silence he found his heartbeat returning back to its normal pace. He inspected the room with cautious green eyes. Everything was as it should be, even his flight cap and his gloves were on the very table he had last placed them. No danger seemed to lurk in the corners of the dimly lit room with the sole purpose of killing him. With fatigue finally catching up with him, he allowed himself to calm down by laying back on his bed.

 _"Ratchet…"_

It couldn't be. The whispering. The same whispers that haunted his dreams just a moment ago.

 _"Ratchet…"_

He swiftly got out of his bed and grabbed his OmniWrench. "Who's there?" he demanded.

 _"You're living a lie, Ratchet… You_ _ **are**_ _a lie"_ the ominous voice replied. Ratchet's grip on his weapon tightened, indicating the uneasiness he felt. _"I am truth. I am the death of ignorance. Follow me and you shall be enlightened"_ the unworldly voice went on, its unsettling presence leading the Lombax into a maze with no escape from where his rationality was at stake.

 _"The universe looks at you and sees a hero… But do you know what I see? A coward; someone who lost the guts to find his race…"_

Ratchet couldn't listen to the voices any longer. How did this happen? Was he suddenly becoming insane for no good reason? He rushed to the balcony as quickly as he could and hoped that the cool air would deliver him his sanity back. He concentrated on the view and his grip on his OmniWrench, letting everything else slip out of his mind.

 _"I'm here, Ratchet. As long as you crave answers, I will be here. Nothing is over"_ the voice returned. Ratchet shut his eyes in desperation.

"Stop! Leave me alone!" he shouted as his free hand moved to his forehead. Afterwards, many whispers were heard all at the same time. What they were saying was incoherent and incomprehensible and at this point Ratchet was absolutely certain he was cursed, despite the fact that never in his life did he believe in such things.

 _"You're a lie, you're a deception. Nameless, without a purpose. Orphaned, alone…"_ the dark figure's voice echoed loudly above all the whispers. _"Condemned. Condemned. Condemned."_ This word was repeated over and over, first by the brutal voice that had swept away all traces of serenity nights should hold, then by the whispers that quickly formed a flawless choir. Louder and louder. Ratchet didn't dare open his eyes, didn't dare to move. He wanted to shout, to break every single object around him. It was driving him mad and he wanted it to stop.

"Ratchet?" rescue came in the form of a caring voice standing out from the accurst ensemble. The familiar voice snapped him out of his nightmare and all voices disappeared at once. There was silence reigning again and the night turned from terrifying to peaceful. Ratchet opened his eyes hesitantly. No ghosts, no whispers. Everything had vanished. He turned around and saw Clank standing not far away from him. "Are you alright?"

The Lombax could only blink as confusion set in. He listened carefully to make sure nothing was haunting him anymore. Nothing, everything seemed to be back to normal. He finally let out a sigh he didn't even know he was tormented by. "Yeah, I guess."

"The Zoni told me to come here immediately or else something very bad would happen" Clank explained reluctantly. Even after so long he got warnings by the guardians of Time every now and then.

"Something's wrong, Clank. You won't believe what happened."

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

After a sleepless night caused by this unprecedented experience, Ratchet decided to get himself distracted by doing what he knew best. No, he didn't start blowing stuff up. After thinking this through and deciding that it was nothing to worry about and that it would never happen again, he began upgrading Aphelion's thrusters. It was a plan he had come up with some time ago and he had also prepared several blueprints in order to begin modifying the starship.

However, Clank didn't see the matter so superficially. Every time he tried to have a serious discussion with Ratchet about what had occurred, his friend would insist that it was only due to his negligence of allowing himself a break. But Clank doubted it. The Zoni wouldn't have appeared for something so trivial. And even if it was because of sustained exhaustion, the fact that Ratchet had heard voices had yet to be justified. Nobody was called by seemingly invisible creatures when extremely weary, let alone by people of their past. In the end, Clank's arguments were indisputable which only led Ratchet to end the conversation with an angry remark. The robot even feared that saving galaxies began to have its toll on Ratchet. He assumed that perhaps such stressful and intense experiences were posing a threat to his mental stability, a possibility which only resulted in utter denial as the mere thought of it saddened Clank to the point of having his circuitry overheated by irregular activities of his CPU.

"I can't wait to get her for a flight after I'm done. Sevenfold maximum speed! How awesome is that, pal?" Clank was transported away from his harmful stream of thoughts when Ratchet spoke enthusiastically from under his ship. His friend was standing a few feet away, observing the ship with a rather thoughtful expression. His worried look was justified by Aphelion's report.

"After thorough calculations and examination of previous flight data I can ascertain you that with seven times enhanced speed combined with your clumsy piloting, the probability of crashing is 89.6%" the ship declared.

"This is ridiculous" Ratchet protested while working. "My piloting is not clumsy."

"I second that."

"Thanks, Clank."

"I meant Aphelion's statement" Clank clarified and then giggled.

Then the Lombax spoke again while a perpetual sound of tightening some components with the OmniWrench was heard. "Aw come on. With the new modifications it will take only half an episode of 'Trick Out My Dropship' to go from one edge of Polaris to another."

All of a sudden, Clank made out a figure that was a good distance away from them. He narrowed his optic lids to observe the unknown creature better. After some seconds, it became clear that the person was coming towards them. He found it odd since he had never seen him or any other creature of this race before. The man had a strange complexion. It was the palest shade of violet, similar to the colour lilac. His ears were pointy and resembled the ears of an elven creature as the Earthlings would say. His eyes were ocean-blue and he held a white sceptre which had the height of himself, a bright sapphire crystal decorating the top.

He finally approached Clank's spot and stopped on his tracks. He made a noise of clearing his throat before speaking as his long, brown hair fell on his shoulders. "I am here to talk to Kaden's son. The time has come."

"What the- Ouch!" Ratchet began but ended up hitting his head due to his surprise and his instinctive impulse of trying to stand up. He finally managed to step away from Aphelion and face the mysterious man with a hand holding his sore head. Oil covered parts of his fur and his Pilot Suit.

"Finally, it is time! I found you at last. You are the Son of the Stars. My brotherhood will be honoured to accept you and guide you to the ultimate battle against all darkness" the stranger said in a determined tone, his voice holding signs of success for he was feeling rewarded for having found the one he had been searching for.

The heroic duo stared at the man with wide eyes and their silence brought about an awkward atmosphere. In fact, the stranger now began feeling embarrassed. He closed his eyes in indignation but opened them as soon as the uncomfortable quietness was disturbed… by intense laughter.

Both him and Clank looked at Ratchet who was laughing uncontrollably and holding his stomach with one gloved hand. He was able to speak after her calmed down. "You almost got me" he said pointing at the man. "Seriously I freaked out, well done. Qwark sent you to prank me, didn't he?" he added joyfully.

The man frowned his eyes, confusion present in them. "I don't understand. Who is Qwark?" he raised his hands in bewilderment. "Master Orion sent me."

"Yeah, right. Is he still mad because I scared him while he was taking a shower?" Ratchet wondered and instantly chuckled at the memory but his friend seemed to be more attentive to the stranger's words.

"I believe you misunderstand, Ratchet. This man appears to be talking seriously" Clank claimed.

"Seriously? _Son of the Stars_? _Battle against "all darkness"_?" Ratchet mocked making air quotations. "This sounds like a cheesy holo-film." He then turned his attention on the man. "Look I don't know who you are but if you're telling the truth, I'm not your guy" he casually remarked in a tone slightly more irritated than intended.

"Forgive me for the omission, I haven't introduced myself. My name is Loric. Loric Ellebor. And I am being honest. You have to listen to me" Loric insisted with a warm and kind look on his face. "Is there a place where we can talk?"

Ratchet shut his eyes in confusion and sighed. After a couple of seconds his emerald eyes were open again, focused on Loric. However before he could say anything, Clank spoke.

"Excuse me, sir. But you mentioned the name _Kaden_. Did you know him?" Ratchet's ears perked up in immense interest.

"I didn't. But the leader of my brotherhood did" Loric replied.

"You mean Master Orion?" the robot went on.

"Exactly. But I can say no more here, there are prying eyes everywhere. We must go somewhere safer, where no greed can reach us" Loric told them with concern. Ratchet raised one eyebrow, finding the way Loric spoke rather bizarre.

"Let me finish with my ship and then we can talk" he proposed.

"I shall take a walk then. The rays of another sun should be a refreshing change. I'll come back later" Loric suggested and in an elegant manner he turned around and took slow steps away from the robot and the Lombax.

"And I thought Vorselon was dramatic" Ratchet noted half-smiling.

"This is serious, Ratchet. We just found a lead to your father, and possibly the Lombaxes" Clank said in a sober tone. Soon, Ratchet became troubled as well.

"You're right. But… I… I'm not sure about this. Maybe this is not a good idea" he brought forth his opposition bitterly. Kaden, Alister and the Lombaxes in general were a delicate subject to him. He needed closure. He thought this was over. Why was the past appearing right before him again? He didn't need to scratch old wounds. He didn't need to dwell in the past. Clank, Talwyn and saving the Universe were all that mattered right now. And it was more than enough. Why couldn't he find a way out of all this?

"This will always be _your_ decision. But before you choose, I advise you to explore all options. It is the only way to follow the path you truly wish for" his loyal friend consulted.

"Thanks, pal" Ratchet said with a smile indicating relief. "Okay. Let's get this done with."

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

Loric Ellebor wandered around the huge city known as Meridian City, feeling enchanted but at the same time finding it too busy and quick-paced for his taste. After all, so many years had passed him by, offering him the wisdom to find virtue in strangers and defeat misleading consuls such as hate and vengeance. Now he wished for a more serene and tranquil life to spend the rest of his remaining years. Of course, only after all darkness had been vanquished.

After letting all new landscapes be imprinted onto his mind so he could cherish them through memories, he returned back to the spot where he had found the friendly robot and the headstrong Lombax, always known to him through his Master as the Son of the Stars. Ratchet hadn't managed to upgrade Aphelion's thrusters as it would take at least three hours and Loric was waiting. Plus Clank had told him that in case they were obliged to leave Igliak, it would be preferable not to end up beneath metal debris. So he had no choice but to reluctantly comply.

The two organics and the robot were back in the suite, sitting across a table with Ratchet being opposite of Loric and Clank between the two of them.

"So this Orion" Ratchet began, "he has information about my father?"

"I reckon they met at one point. But I don't know any more details. I wasn't present when Kaden found our brotherhood" Loric explained.

"Your brotherhood?" Ratchet wondered with a questioning look.

"We are a race called the Grey Mages" Loric enlightened him.

"I do not mean to offend you" Clank interfered, "but the Grey Mages are not among the species I am aware of, nor have I ever heard of you."

Loric smiled and raised a hand reassuringly. "No offense taken, erm…"

"His name is Clank" Ratchet declared, knowing what was keeping Loric from going on. Clank smiled, although due to the fact that he was a robot it wasn't truly visible.

"Nice to meet you, Clank. Well we have secluded ourselves in a remote galaxy. I think even the Zoni don't know it exists." Clank felt the urge to talk to Loric about the mysterious little creatures, share his knowledge with him and tell him that the great Orvus was his father. However, he knew Ratchet longed for answers so he didn't find it right to attract Loric's attention. Additionally, he wasn't even certain if he could be trusted.

"So you'll take us to Orion?" Ratchet inquired.

Loric laughed slightly. Ratchet couldn't tell if he was feeling amused or nervous. "Did you really think it would be that easy, Son of Kaden?"

"Hey, stop referring to me with titles. My name's Ratchet" he snapped in apparent indignation. Such anger wasn't intended to be directed to the stranger but something about those unusual titles made him feel threatened. As though his identity was at stake by information that forced him to re-evaluate who he is.

Loric sat back on his chair, moving away from Ratchet's angry face. He heard the Lombax ask one more question in a calmer tone this time. "Where is this galaxy?"

"I can't answer that either. Questions lead us to nowhere so let me explain" Loric recommended.

Ratchet stood up from his chair. "I don't want to listen to any of this. I don't want to dig up the past. If it doesn't concern the safety of the Universe, I want no part in it" he spoke with determination, his tail twitching nervously and without a regular pace.

"Ratchet, I believe we should listen to Loric. He showed up right after the night you had this nightmare with the dark figure. That cannot be irrelevant or coincidental" Clank pointed out only to receive a furious look that voicelessly told him he shouldn't have mentioned this.

"A nightmare you say? I suppose you dreamt all of your unpleasant experiences? And then you kept hearing voices, even when awake?" Loric said alerted, his eyes wide open with surprise and worry. The two friends looked at the Grey Mage in utter shock, Ratchet appearing to be more astonished than ever.

"So he has found you. The Unseen Destroyer" Loric stood up, stressed out as well. "I'm afraid you're out of time, Ratchet. You cannot run away anymore. That creature knows who you are and now he will do anything to claim your soul. If you do nothing, unimaginable things will happen. It just makes matters worse to sit here, fearing your past."

"I don't fear my past! I just need closure. I've had enough of this" Ratchet corrected him loudly. Bewilderment brought a heat in his heart. It was pounding fast. No good would come of this. Yet again, this Unseen Destroyer would consume him in the end. Both choices seemed too risky.

"You won't have closure unless you fight the Unseen Destroyer and whatever he's connected to. But to do that, you will need coordinates to locations only Orion knows" Loric explained.

"Then why won't you take me to him?" Ratchet asked, visibly out of patience. Not that it had ever been one of his best traits.

"I can't just show him a Lombax and tell him you're the one he's been looking for. He needs proof!" Loric replied with equal turmoil disclosed by the intensity of his voice. He took a deep breath and sat on the chair again. Now was his opportunity to explain. His tone became calm. "In order to prove to Orion that you are Kaden's son, you will have to retrieve something. Something that even Tachyon didn't destroy when he was ravaging Polaris and every planet beyond it, destroying everything related to the Lombaxes, anything bearing the mark of their civilisation."

Ratchet and Clank were listening to Loric with extreme caution, neither of them daring to speak or even move.

"Kaden's Armor. A gift from Orion himself. I don't know what Kaden did for him to receive such a remarkable gift, a set of armor that's named after him, but I do know Orion gave it to him. And that Kaden hid it before he was confronted by the Cragmite."

Ratchet's green eyes sparkled with excitement and admiration. Could this object be so valuable that even Tachyon hadn't destroyed it? And it bore his father's name? He felt the urge to discover more, something he didn't think he would be feeling after everything that had happened all these years ago.

"You mentioned Ratchet's father hid the armor. Which means even Tachyon could not access it. So how will _we_ do so?" Clank thought aloud logically.

"No, no, no. You don't get it. Tachyon had access to the armor because he had the map that leads to it. But he never destroyed the armor. He just hid the map. Actually he returned it to where it was first spotted. And no one can explain this, no one knows why. Imagine how valuable this armor is, even for a Cragmite" Loric stated with a fist in the air, enthusiasm written all over his face.

"So we've got to find this map" Ratchet concluded, scratching his chin. "Can you tell us where it is?"

Loric sighed and looked at Ratchet in a much serious manner, ocean-blue penetrating two emeralds. "Not unless you're certain."

"Wait, what? You just told us all these things about the armor and now you decide to act like a-" Ratchet shouted but his friend stopped him from going on.

"Ratchet!" Clank called to tame him.

"I will give you a day to think this through. I understand this is too much right now so I cannot take your answer for granted. Not today" Loric spoke wisely.

"But you said I'm out of time" Ratchet reminded him annoyed.

"Time provided for crucial decisions is never time wasted. You need it" Loric explained and stood up. He took some steps to approach the wall where his long sceptre leaned. He grabbed the white piece of wood and looked at the heroes again, who were observing him with curiosity.

Loric said one more thing before departing. "I know you are faced with a tough dilemma. I only hope that you will make the right decision. For the sake of all of us."

Slow footsteps approaching the door was the only thing Ratchet's senses received. Eyes looking at the wall where the enigmatic sceptre once reposed but not seeing, ears perked up but without hearing anything save the footfall. Voices and ghosts filled the room again but this time it wasn't a haunting caused by the Unseen Destroyer. It was his own soul's distress. And this time, his friend calling out his name did not have the power to make them disappear.

* * *

 **A/N: You must be wondering what 'Trick Out My Dropship' is. If you've ever played or watched PS: All-Stars Battle Royale on YouTube you should know. For those who haven't it's some sort of holo-vid series Ratchet and Clank watch.**

 **As always, if there are mistakes of any kind I'd like to know. Thanks for reading! Until next time!**


	4. Beginnings

**A/N: It took longer than expected to update, sorry. Sometimes life's so hard it feels like it's aiming at you with a R.Y.N.O. Anyway. Special thanks to SpaceWonder368, Batwizard15, zenith88, Josh14Raider and the Uknown user for their reviews. And also, I'd like to thank SpaceWonder368 and TheQueenOfDiamondsKimy for favouriting my story. It really means a lot so I thought I should mention you to let you know.**

 **By the way Batwizard15, I think you're right when you say such a plot is extraordinary for a science fiction franchise like R &C. I thought so too and it did give me doubts, fearing the story would be too fantasy-like for the taste of the series' fans but it'll only last until half the story. There's this point it becomes all science fiction-like. I'm glad you shared your observation with me, I certainly want to be shown potential mistakes or problems so I can improve my writing. And about the ****cliché** **thing I see your point, indeed such themes are overused. There are many big twists in the story so I hope it doesn't let you down. Thanks for pointing those out again.**

 **Okay I've wasted your time long enough, readers.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Ratchet  & Clank. If I did, all characters would keep their design from A Crack in Time so you would know. I own Loric Ellebor and the Unseen Destroyer.**

 **UPDATE: This chapter is about to be re-written at some point. I find it too rushed. Nevertheless, enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Beginnings**

"Are you sure about this, Ratchet? Trusting a complete stranger from a totally unknown galaxy doesn't sound like one of your brightest ideas" Talwyn expressed her thoughts with concern leaving its stain on her tone. As a Captain of Polaris Defense Force for nearly more than a year now, Talwyn Apogee had learned to hide her personal intents and weaknesses. However, she never let her pressing duties affect her. She was always kind and caring to the ones she regarded as friends.

Ratchet did not answer immediately. His eyes searched the beautiful skyline ahead of him through the glass of the large balcony. They were on the highest floor of the Defense Force building. The sun had barely risen and the fading darkness of the night seemed to deliver some clarity and tranquility to the young Lombax.

He had been thinking of Loric's words all night. Clank had told him he would support him on whatever he decided. No matter how many times Ratchet asked him his actual opinion though, he wouldn't voice any particular opinion. He would just say he was there for him. This only resulted in Ratchet grunting in indignation as this was one of the countless times he failed to understand the robot's logic.

As this new legacy unfolded itself before him, it also chased away his desire to rest. All Ratchet did during the night was stare at the ceiling and think. There were in fact those times he counted the tiny and almost invisible cracks on the surface above him though as well as times he mentally planned to add new components to his OmniWrench. But mostly he spent those anxious, nighttime hours thinking over Loric's proposal.

Some seconds of silence passed and after he sighed, he spoke. "I know it sounds like a terrible idea. I thought I was beyond this, but it seems I was wrong. I didn't know it before but… I wanna know more about my father and the Lombaxes."

The Markazian looked at him with a kindly expression. "I understand. Just be careful. You always seem to attract a lot of trouble" she said in a teasing manner, a sly smile making her face brighter.

Ratchet looked at his friend's face with a calm expression and a warm smile. "Well, Clank and I could use some help. You could keep trouble away from us" he suggested. His green eyes gleamed with hope, expecting her to agree and join them on this mission that could only be described as defining for Ratchet's life.

"I can't. You know I have a lot of duties. I'm needed here" she reluctantly stated as her smile disappeared from her face, making Ratchet do the same.

"Right, I understand" Ratchet spoke in a rather sad tone. He tried to hide the fact that he felt crestfallen, he couldn't even admit to himself how much he enjoyed Talwyn's company whether it be on a mission or in non life-threatening situations. A while after Mr. Eye's attack he realised he had begun feeling different about her. For him it wasn't just friendship anymore, it was something else. Something more. Something he didn't think he wanted to comprehend right now, something he couldn't afford at the moment. He was Ratchet, intergalactic hero and the only Lombax left in the universe, love was something he'd never be able to come in terms with. What also made him keep these thoughts buried deep within was that he didn't even know if she felt the same way as him.

They only stared at each other for a while as the first rays of light penetrated the glass and illuminated the dark room and Ratchet's facial features. Talwyn's voice disturbed the silent sunrise.

"By the way, that research you asked me to conduct about Miss Cross" she began but Ratchet impatiently interrupted her.

"Angela! Did you find anything?" he asked with intensity as he walked closer to Talwyn, not wanting to miss any of her next words.

The more Talwyn observed Ratchet's hopeful stare, the more she wanted to delay her reply. Eventually, she was obliged to answer. "I'm sorry I… I didn't find any signs of her. There's nothing else I can do."

Ratchet's ears slightly dropped."So she's really gone, isn't she?"

"We know she was last spotted with my father while travelling to planet Jasindu. I remember Artemis Zogg telling me that he fled in another dimension to save her. I'm still trying to discover if this is true, though it probably is. Just remember, if I find him I also find a lead to her" she tried to reassure.

Ratchet realised she had said _if_ she finds him, something he found strange. Talwyn always seemed to think that her father was alive whenever she spoke about his disappearance, ever since their first encounter. And now she had begun losing hope. He found it rather disheartening that Talwyn was forsaking her dream of reuniting with her lost father. He always considered her insistence to believe a sign of courage. And now only remnants of an unfulfilled wish marked her words whenever she spoke about Max. He just nodded and managed a weak smile.

"Don't worry about it", she went on. "Just be careful, though I know you've no idea what this means. At least Clank will be taking care of you" she teased in a more cheerful manner.

"Hey, I can keep myself safe" Ratchet playfully argued.

"I don't think so" Talwyn chuckled. Afterwards, she hugged Ratchet in order to bid him farewell. He embraced her as well.

"I'll contact you as soon as I can" he informed her after he broke their embrace. A flood of golden light filled the room as Ratchet took a couple of steps backwards facing Talwyn. Afterwards, he turned around and walked out of the room with steady steps leading him to his next adventure.

Talwyn looked at the horizon one last time, collecting pieces of past memories for several minutes. The sound of fading footfall kept company to her mostly morbid thoughts. Inhaling made her feel better, as if she had breathed in the golden light of the sun which had a soothing effect on her psyche. It felt like forever before she exited the room, following the same way Ratchet had.

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

Loric wandered into the main hall of the Polaris Defense Force HQ, waiting for the heroic duo to appear any second now. As predicted, he saw Ratchet and Clank heading for his position. He was confronted by nervousness for he was certain the Lombax would decline his plead for help. So the moment the two friends arrived, he began ranting uncontrollably after Clank wished him good morning.

"I know what you're thinking. I know what you have decided. And I'm telling you, this is not the right thing to do! Listen, you may not see it now but this will turn into a catastrophe if you do nothing" Loric proclaimed only to be faced with two confused stares.

"Whoa Loric, you haven't even listened to-" Ratchet said in an attempt to stop Loric's insane rant but was interrupted by… more rant.

"But, but, but I _know_ what you have decided" he spoke with his index finger in the air. "Just so you know" he went on while pointing at Ratchet. "the Unseen Destroyer won't leave you alone now that he's found you. You can either fight him or allow him to play these insomniac games with you."

At that instant, Ratchet and Clank widened their eyes. "Insomniac games?" Clank began. "Does this sound strangely familiar to you?" he asked his organic friend. Ratchet agreed, dumbfounded.

Loric kept his gaze locked on the pair in disbelief and bewilderment, his one eye slightly twitching. "I was just speaking metaphorically!" he broke out in indignation.

"Anyway, can you just stop ranting?" Ratchet made Loric cease before he could say anything else. "We're gonna come with you."

Loric narrowed his blue eyes. "Really?"

"You think I'd wear my armor just to show you the door?"

Loric observed that indeed the young hero was equipped with a Holoflux Armor. He felt quite embarrassed after realisation struck him. He had begun rumbling like a senile old man for no particular reason.

He made a noise of clearing his throat. "Oh right, well, I should let you know then that you made the right decision" he stated while pointing his finger at Ratchet one more time, only in a much calmer manner than earlier.

"Now Mr. Ellebor" Clank began but continued after the Grey Mage demanded to be called only by his first name. "Will you tell us where the map to Kaden's Armor is?"

"Planet Zanimal" Loric pronounced with an enthusiastic smile.

"Pardon me, but you must be meaning to say _planet Zanifar_ " the robot kindly argued.

"No, no it's called Zanimal. But it's a little tricky to find. Far away from Polaris there are two twin galaxies."

"Twin galaxies?!" an impatient Ratchet wondered puzzled.

"Indeed. Astarte and Triquetta galaxies. They are very close to one another and have exactly the same planets. That's why they're known as the Twin Galaxies. Their only difference is planet Zanimal. It belongs to the Astarte galaxy while Triquetta has no such planet. That's where the map is located" Loric informed.

"Huh, convenient" Ratchet shrugged. "Alright, upload the coordinates to my ship and we'll meet you there" he plainly added and he along with Clank began heading for Aphelion. However, they both turned around as they noticed Loric was cold on his tracks.

"Is something wrong, Loric?" Clank inquired.

"Eh, well I can't upload the coordinates. To be honest, I don't even know how it's done. Aaand I don't have a ship. I don't know how to fly one" the Mage confessed.

After a brief silence, Ratchet broke in a fit of laughter. Clank indicated to him how rude his reaction was by calling his friend's name in an annoyed manner.

"Then how did you get here in the first place?" the Lombax managed to ask after his laughter stopped.

"A very kind man agreed to bring me here. What a fella, he's been everywhere. He said he works as a plumber" Loric answered. The two heroes widened their eyes, a shocked expression written all over their faces.

"Seriously?!"

"That is indeed odd."

Loric was the next to speak. "Oh well. This means you have to take me on your ship."

"Whatever. Come on, Aphelion's this way" Ratchet gestured as he took the lead and walked ahead, Clank and their new acquaintance following close behind.

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

The three explorers were already on their way to Astarte galaxy. Aphelion was travelling through space, flying as trillions of stars graced the endless black void of the universe with their beauty. Ratchet was enjoying piloting his trustworthy Lombax ship, Clank was in a relaxing position in the middle as Loric had occupied the passenger's seat deep in a slumber. He had complained that long trips were not good for him at this age and that they made him nauseous. He almost vomited three times. Totally irked, Ratchet wore a gas protective mask and engaged the cryosleep function without a single sign of warning. Loric fell asleep at once, as if he had been just hit by Ratchet's OmniWrench Millennium 12. He simply couldn't allow Loric to do this to Aphelion's seats. Needless to say, Aphelion was truly content by her pilot's decision. Clank could only sigh.

After more than 40 hours of travelling (even Ratchet had to engage autopilot and take a nap a couple of times), they finally reached their destination. The Astarte Galaxy. Clank was able to update his star charts and confirm that they were in the right galaxy as planet Zanimal was present. After some moments of searching, they prepared to land on the surface of the yellow planet known as Zanimal. No matter what planet one dwells on though, things rarely go as planned…

Loric woke up on the passenger's seat, right where he had fallen asleep after he saw Ratchet wear some strange-looking mask. He turned to look left and right and saw his two co-travelers seemingly unconscious. Had they decided to drift off? Were they on Zanimal?

Loric asked Aphelion if she could open the cockpit but the Lombax ship didn't respond. He pushed the button that performed this order and was glad to notice his first guess had been the right one. He grabbed his staff and got off the ship. Loric let his eyes wander curiously, examining his surroundings. The sky held a pale shade of yellow, the land was barren with nothing but sand and rocks on it.

All of a sudden, Loric heard commotion behind him. He turned around to see the ship occupied by creatures with black cloaks. They were tall and seemed muscular. He expected the restless Lombax to wake up and strike them with his melee weapon or blow them up with his crazy guns. But neither happened. Not even the friendly robot or the ship was reacting. Something was amiss.

Then it all made sense. Unwanted realisation darkened the expression of his ocean-blue eyes. He understood. They hadn't landed. They had _crash_ landed. Loric hid behind a tall rock as memories revealed themselves to verify his assumption.

 _"We have been hit by an unspecified object" Clank declared with a tone of worry._

 _"There was_ nothing _in range one minute ago!" Ratchet yelled, astonished as well._

 _Loric had just began gaining his senses and overcoming the merciless embrace of cryosleep. However, he felt too drowsy and couldn't afford to do anything but blink and listen._

 _"Warning. Warning. Landing flaps damaged" Aphelion announced. The ship informed of some other kinds of damage as Ratchet literally struggled with all of his strength to keep the wheel stable and control their course. But to no avail. The ship was falling straight onto the desert ground of Zanimal, death welcoming them in a pale shade of yellow as the stratosphere of the planet enveloped them._

 _Loric heard what could be described as a deafening crash and then blackness took over._

Loric spied the men as they carried Ratchet and Clank away, both undoubtedly unconscious because of the rough landing. One of them took hold of the OmniWrench and walked away to follow the crew and their prisoners. Loric revealed himself after stepping out of his hiding spot as soon as he ascertained himself the men were out of sight and that there was no danger lurking in the foggy air of the hot desert.

The Grey Mage paced by the damaged ship, tracking the footsteps of the cloaked figures. With a sigh and a look of determination, Loric Ellebor clenched his staff and followed the path ahead of him while the sinister stillness of the desert forged his arrival to the place where the map to Kaden's Armor lay.

* * *

 **A/N: Fun Fact: Loric Ellebor was originally a female character named Elise Merringard. But since I'm female too, I wanted to avoid self immersion as I deemed it wouldn't be good for the story. Thus, Loric Ellebor was born.**


	5. Cruelty of the Sand

**A/N: Chapter 1 "Some Things Never Change" has been re-written, expanded and updated! YAY! It's so much better than what it used to be so I suggest you check it out if you feel like it.**

 **Many thanks to SpaceWonder368, Josh14Raider, zenith88, Strange1331 and the Guest for their encouragement and the support they show! You're all the motivation I need to go on with the story. And yeah, I know the Plumber too *wink*. He'll play a more important role later in the story.  
Also many thanks to Flowerstar for the sweet review on the Prologue!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own this amazing franchise called Ratchet  & Clank. Credit goes to Insomniac Games. I do own Loric Ellebor, the Unseen Destroyer and a few new characters who'll appear in this chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Cruelty of the Sand**

Loric wandered through the desert in search of his captured co-travelers as the sun burned the air, the ground and his endurance. He felt glad to carry his staff with him. Whenever his stamina was tested, it provided much needed support as it allowed him to lean on it with every step he took. His ocean-blue eyes desperately searched for signs of civilisation in the distance. All he witnessed was the merciless sand forming a path that seemed to lead to devastation.

His frailty caused him to lose track of the footsteps which resulted in losing hope of finding Ratchet and Clank anytime soon. Despite the sense of pride that marked each and every Grey Mage since the first day of their training, there was no denying that Loric needed help for pride proved to be weaker than Zanimal's devouring heat. He attempted to seek a village, any form of inhabitable society that could offer him some assistance. His effort was in vain though. Nothing but rocks disturbed the endless yellow which Loric thought would consume him very soon.

He felt the rays of a seemingly hateful sun afflict his will to continue and he was certain his feet would soon melt and sink beneath the ravenous sand. The back of his neck was reddened and it tingled due to the sun's constant gaze on this area. Perspiration disarmed him of his endurance, resulting in a rather blurred vision. A restrained yowl escaped his mouth as he took a step at the wrong spot and failed to keep his balance. He fell on the hot soil, his knees submerging in the sand. His staff slipped out of his grip due to sweat moistening his palm and ended up a few inches away from him. The Grey Mage panted heavily for the ferocious sunlight didn't seem to pity him for his defeat and become more conciliatory. Slowly, he gained his balance and stood up but the unstable ground pulled him down as though the desert demanded to have him bound to his defeat.

His wish to see with his own eyes the precious Lombax armor, its chosen one wearing it and confronting the weaver of fates ghastly for the people of the galaxies began to fade away in the depths of hopelessness. Master Orion would never meet the Son of the Stars and the Unseen Destroyer would spread his tyrannical reign all over the Omniverse. Loric felt rage with these thoughts but still, it wasn't enough to help him go on. He was exhausted.

Was exhaustion greater than his purpose? Was the sun more powerful than his wish to honour Master Orion's trust? The answers within his mind were clear, no doubt clouding them but his body refused to do his heart's bidding.

Loric retrieved his staff and pushed its lower part beneath the sand in order to make it stable and support himself. His legs disappointed him but shortly he overcame all daunting thoughts and rose from the ground, escaping his personal hell victoriously. He felt like a child taking his first steps, his walking irregular and his legs wobbly. Keeping his head lowered made him somewhat resistant to the sunlight and his staff never failed to keep him moving.

Endless minutes into the chthonic desert and Loric had completely lost the track he was following, now simply marching for the sake of surviving. Thinking he wished to remember the place that would take his life, he rose his head to observe the desert. This final hopeful glimpse at the horizon killed all thoughts about his imminent death away. Buildings. And crowd. Creatures conversing. Loric remained where he was, blinking and lost into his mind's disarray. A sunborn illusion he believed it to be. The desert mocked him right into his final moments. But all looked so real, the voices sounded too close, too lively when he was already feeling death's fiery grasp. However, hope was all he had left and he allowed himself to believe he stood before an oasis instead of an illusion. _'It might be just my mind but it's all I've got'_. Possibly giving into a trick born by madness, Loric smiled and mustered all the strength he had left to approach the village.

It took many minutes for him to realise his sanity hadn't given up on him. The villagers provided him with shade and water as soon as they laid eyes on his broken form. Once recovered from the desert's spell, he wandered the streets of what seemed like a busy outdoor market. Loric was successful in finding a place where he could afford some food and water. Lots of water. After thanking the Zoni for having enough bolts to tend for himself, he searched for whoever seemed skilled enough to lead him to the destination of the cloaked men. His search didn't last for long. On a secluded area there was tall creature with brown coat. Loric didn't know what species the man belonged to. He was neither Lombax nor Cazar and those were the only races he was aware of that possessed fur. He looked quite young. The Grey Mage headed for the direction of the stranger.

"Excuse me, young man. I need information" Loric began, ready to defend himself in case the stranger displayed a hostile behaviour.

"The name's Egandor and how can I help you?"

Loric smiled as he realised he was not in danger. He might as well be lucky enough to get the information he needed from Egandor. "My acquaintances have been kidnapped. Have you seen a Lombax and a robot? They were being carried by some cloaked men."

Egandor rubbed his forehead as a sign of thinking his answer carefully. "Cloaked men? I'm afraid this isn't one of their lucky days. They were taken to the Unseen Destroyer."

"The Unseen Destroyer?" Loric snapped alerted.

"Yeap, he pretty much commands this place. I'm sorry but… they were captured to fight at the Coliseum. It's a fighting arena where prisoners are forced to battle each other on a duel. There's no escape from there. No prizes, no freedom even if you win every single time. You're forced to fight until you, um, die."

Loric frowned in worry after hearing Egandor's words. The thought that Ratchet and Clank were skillful and that they had survived in much worse situations than this gave space for his composure to settle. He was certain they would manage to stay alive, even if they were to fight. This could offer him some time to come up with a rescue plan.

"I have to infiltrate the Coliseum and set them free" he voiced his objective.

"Breaking in is not a walk in an oasis. Been trying to do so for months" Egandor confessed. He sounded quite bitter as he went on. "I gave it so many shots and after so many preparations, nothing. Failure every single time" he spoke as he paced around.

"Why do you want to break in such a horrible place?" Loric wondered. He was met by Egandor's sullen look.

"My sister's in there." There was a short pause before Egandor found the strength to provide more information. "She was taken five months ago, a little while after the Coliseum was founded by the Unseen Destroyer."

"Well I'd like to think you're a skilled fighter" Loric commented as he observed Egandor's gear. He spotted a small-sized crossbow and a dagger. "On my planet we say _two warriors are better than one_. If we work together, we could free your sister and my companions."

Egandor's troubled face changed as a content smile brightened his mikado yellow eyes. "You'll need to learn a few things about the Coliseum then."

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

The first thing Ratchet felt was the heat. The unbearable heat. He was used to high temperatures as his kind originated from Fastoon and he had grown up on Veldin, but Zanimal could easily win the first place if there was a competition for the most annoyingly, insufferably, unbelievably hot planets in the entire Universe.

His senses returned to him slowly as he was taken away from the blissful unconsciousness. He began moving his hand wearily, burying his fingers beneath the grains of sand in the process. He felt he didn't have the strength to move his tail even if his life depended on it. After several seconds of stillness, he realised he was lying face down. He supported his weight on his palms and sluggishly moved to a kneeling position. Much to his irritation, the fur of his face was full of sand. He opened his bright emerald eyes and began removing the sand from his face in a restless manner, his action accompanied by a grunt of indignation.

Ratchet looked around him curiously and found himself in a small room with nothing in it whatsoever. There was some light thanks to the small crevices on the walls. "They could've at least put a bed in this hole" he complained, the sensation of sand all over his face still vivid in his mind.

He examined his surroundings once again and what he realised brought in him some uneasiness; Clank was nowhere to be seen. With a look of concern he stared at each and every wall as if his friend would pop out of one of the cracks any second now. He couldn't help moving his tail anxiously.

The next thing he knew was that someone was trying to open the door. He clenched his fists and his ears twitched as the door made a loud noise while budging. Ratchet was faced with a man wearing a black cloak, its fabric so thin that it seemed to wave in the air with every movement.

The man stood right in front of the door and spoke with a hoarse voice. "Time to fight for your life. Make sure you put on a good show, furball. The landlord will be displeased if-" his taunting speech was cut off by a screech coming from the same man as Ratchet ran to the door and elbowed the guard on his rib, finding no other option to attack due to the fact that he was completely unarmed.

The guard, being sturdier and much more muscular, shoved the Lombax on one of the walls before Ratchet could even attempt to run and seize the opportunity of escaping. The guard pushed Ratchet against the wall and placed his forearm on the prisoner's neck, applying excessive pressure. Ratchet had great difficulty breathing but his stare at the guard remained wrathful and determined.

"I like your attitude, boy" the guard laughed, feeling more amused than challenged. "Better save it for the arena. You'll need it."

The pressure made Ratchet's heart pound fast as the fact that he was physically assaulted made his thoughts and senses sink into fear's torrents. Before he could lose his contact with reality and be embraced by paralysing unconsciousness, he felt the menacing pressure recede abruptly as the guard let go of him. A few coughs escaped his mouth as a result of struggling to breathe all along and afterwards he inhaled deeply, each and every breath granting him strength.

"Stop lingering!" Ratchet heard the guard demand while he put a hand on his neck. "Your audience won't wait forever."

Sentinel and captive walked through the underground corridors under the Coliseum, some hot rays of the sun emerging into the dungeons. Ratchet observed the prison halls underneath the arena that would seal his fate while he was walking, following the guard but keeping his distance. _'This was not what I had in mind. Tal's right, I just can't keep myself out of trouble.'_

After a while, they finally reached a door leading inside a room. The guard was the first to enter, Ratchet following close behind. The sight before him caused him to smile with gleaming eyes. All of his weapons and gadgets lay on a table, intact and not a single one missing. His OmniWrench was also there to complete the set of curious weaponry. But that wasn't the best part and the reason he was smiling.

"Hello, Ratchet. Do you have any idea where we are? My data banks do not include any memories of landing or coming here in the first place" his long time friend Clank noted.

"No idea but they want us to fight on the arena" Ratchet informed as he caught the guard activating some sort of elevator mechanism from the corner of his eye, the only object in this place that didn't look like it had been constructed by Fongoids. "Ready for some butt-kicking, pal?" he asked zealously.

Clank only put a hand on his forehead in a hopeless manner and shook his head. "We are doomed."

Now fully equipped, Ratchet and Clank stood on the platform waiting for it to be elevated to the level of the gladiatorial ring. The guard pushed some buttons but before pressing the last one, he spoke to the duo.

"Any questions?" he asked without bothering to eye them, looking bored and indifferent.

Ratchet seemed to have something in mind. "You wouldn't happen to wanna buy a pair of Stunderwear, would ya?" he wondered. The only reply he got from the guard was the instant activating of the elevator that caused the platform to be lifted in the air. Clank folded his arms and glared at his friend. "What? Sales have plummeted on Umbris" his furry friend justified with an awkward smile, believing it was worth a shot.

The elevating platform came to a halt and now the Lombax and the robot could clearly see the sun as its light illuminated the entire area and themselves. They had reached the surface and were welcomed by a circular arena with crowds cheering and thirstily pleading for the match to begin and a sea of sand burning like lava beneath their feet.

"Do you know where Loric is?" Ratchet wanted to know while he examined the area, deciding not to move forward yet.

"No. But my sensors do not pick up any signs of his presence which leads me to the conclusion that he has not been captured, although it is only probable" Clank reckoned.

Before either of them could say any more, the voice of an announcer echoed through the area. "The rules are simple, gladiators. Survive the duel" he pronounced and even though no kind of microphone was used, his words had been heard by everyone in the Coliseum. "Remember, this is a fight to the death. You won't abandon the arena until one of you lies dead on the ground. Let the battle begin!"

Ratchet's prior fervency for battle was obscured by past memories. He felt as if he was living DreadZone all over again. His moral sense had been tested confoundedly during that time. But despite his youth, he had learned that sometimes it takes a great deal of relentlessness to survive. This time was one of them. He gripped his melee weapon tightly and looked at Clank. With a nod of understanding by both, Ratchet adjusted his robotic friend to his harness and walked ahead as the two heroes prepared for battle.

The crowd howled enthusiastically as soon as they made out the form of the two captives moving to the centre of the Coliseum. The two friends searched the entire arena with heedful eyes but no enemy could be spotted. Silence reigned as the crowd ceased cheering, awaiting for the single combat to begin. Ratchet felt uneasiness sink in as he was still unable to locate his enemy and thus, had no idea what to expect.

All of a sudden, Clank saw that the ocean of sand before him was disturbed by a creature that had revealed itself from beneath it. Instinctively and in a matter of seconds he grabbed one of his Time Bombs, a relic acquired during his stay at the Great Clock, and threw it towards the enemy making it explode. "Ratchet, behind you" he immediately informed after time had been slowed down for the other gladiator. The Lombax turned around to see a tall, slender, scorpion-like creature trying to attack him with its claws, moving extremely slowly inside a bright sapphire sphere.

"Thanks, Clank" Ratchet spoke and activated his Shredder Claws as his first weapon of choice. Swiftly, he moved forward as he penetrated his adversary who belonged to a desert species known throughout Zanimal as Wasteland Murderers, due to the surprise attacks they were capable of. A couple of strikes with the sharp razors of his weapon was the only thing Ratchet could manage before the effect of the Time Bomb wore off completely, rendering the Wasteland Murderer out of the quantum spell.

"I don't intend to die today" the scorpion creature murmured while observing the wounds caused by the Shredder Claws. They were but mere superficial scratches on his rough skin. Afterwards he turned around to face his opponent, whose fern green eyes sparkled with resoluteness as he held the deadly, sharp weapons in each hand firmly. He exhibited his own claws in a hostile manner, as if saying _"It's on."_

Ratchet decided to abandon the close range tactic and picked the Alpha Disruptor for his next attack for he speculated it would be more effective against an enemy with skin thicker than armor made entirely of Raritarium. While the Wasteland Murderer launched forward to attack with his claws, Ratchet flipped backwards to keep a safe distance and fired. Unfortunately this tactic didn't have the desired results. The other gladiator didn't seem injured in the least. And this weapon was amongst his most powerful ones. He widened his eyes in pure disbelief. "Great, just great" he exclaimed.

Ratchet grabbed his Plasma Slayer and aimed rapidly but at the same time with high accuracy. As soon as he positioned his finger on the trigger, ready to take down his opponent and hopefully reclaim his and his friend's freedom, he saw the Wasteland Murderer vanish beneath the infinite grains of sand. Ratchet ceased aiming and blinked as soon as he realised his enemy was nowhere to be found. All he and Clank could see was the various creatures watching with eyes pleading for some blood to be spilled and the yellow sea Ratchet was standing on.

The Lombax switched to his Blitz Gun, a quite old but much useful weapon from the Bogon Galaxy, and warily looked around him. The Wasteland Murderer was nowhere to be seen but Ratchet didn't drop his guard and he knew Clank wouldn't do so either until this battle was over. There was unsettling stillness for several seconds until the scorpion creature tore the sands apart and attempted to strike him with his sharp claws. Ratchet was able to roll to his right and avoid the attack. He couldn't afford to get injured, especially since there was no Nanotech nearby. He fired his weapon of choice and it seemed to keep the other gladiator at a safe distance as well as distract him but this was only it. It barely did any damage. This conflict needed to be resolved with more drastic measures.

He drawed his Warmonger and instantly fired. The Wasteland Murderer dodged the powerful missiles by diving into the sand and emerging back up with extremely rapid movements. Ratchet was shaken and as a result, he began panting as his heart beat faster. Clank's voice brought him out of this sense of foreshadowing defeat. "Perhaps a weapon based on electrocution attacks will have an impact on the gladiator" he advised. Ratchet's ears perked in hopefulness and he smiled wickedly.

Without wasting any time he took a firm grip of his Mag-Net Launcher and fired. The electromagnetic net trapped the Wasteland Murderer, immobilising him completely. The next moment, the fighter native to Zanimal saw his enemy approach him with a weapon know as Lightning Ravager in his hand. The creature with the golden fur and brown stripes activated the whip and struck him with it, the contact with its electric energy so painful it forced him to cry out in pain. The electrical prison vanished and he was now free but somewhat injured. A second strike came from the deadly whip but he managed to avoid it and catching his enemy off guard, he rapidly urged forward and inflicted a serious injury on Ratchet's right arm with his trenchant claw.

Ratchet dropped the Lightning Ravager and clenched his arm. He had restrained from voicing his pain or displaying his surprise, although this was an attack he hadn't predicted. He glared at the Wasteland Murderer's triumphant face. With a sense of impulse taking over, he drawed his OmniWrench and attempted to attack his rival. A stinging pain pierced his arm as he wielded his trademark weapon but he refused to stop fighting and give into it. The scorpion creature avoided the assault and with swift movements raised a tiny and ephemeral sandstorm to provide him with cover. The next thing Ratchet's enemy did was to move behind him and try to hit him but Clank grabbed his claw and pushed it away, something that completely disorientated him. This offered Ratchet enough time to turn around and perform a comet-strike that knocked his adversary down. However, the force used to succeed in this attack caused extreme ache in his wounded arm and Ratchet had to bite his lip so as not to surrender to agony and cry out.

There was a buzzing in Ratchet's ears as the adrenaline began to wear off and all that remained was exhaustion and a penetrating pain meant to immobilise his right arm. But he couldn't forsake the battle now. He had just gained the upper hand. As cruel as it seemed, as much as he hated the idea, he had to kill the Wasteland Murderer before him in cold blood, while he lay on the ground with no means of defense. This was just how things were. Survival of the fittest. The same inner moral strife over and over again. He had come to learn this would never change.

Ratchet held his OmniWrench firmly and moved towards the scorpion creature. Clank detached himself from Ratchet's back as he considered the battle to be over. But surprises were far from over for the two friends. Their rival unexpectedly stood up and knocked Ratchet on the ground, the merciless heat of the sand almost burning his back. He hadn't been able to suppress a yelp of surprise as he found himself forced down. He saw the Wasteland Murderer's claw inches away from his face and specifically, much to his great discomfort, his eye. Fortunately, Ratchet had managed to take a good hold of the claw and save himself from a much unwanted injury. With both hands he desperately tried to push the sharp edge away from his face, his entire arms shaking in the process. The Wasteland Murderer was too strong though and Ratchet's efforts seemed to barely have any effect.

From the corner of his eye but without averting his gaze, he noticed that Clank had already retrieved the Lightning Ravager and was now moving towards his position. Ratchet made sure to muster all of his strength and as soon as he realised Clank had arrived he grabbed the Ravager with one hand, activated it in split seconds and struck the enemy with its lethal electrical energy. The Wasteland Murderer howled in astonishment and pain and fell next to Ratchet, who stood up despite the slight trembling of his legs. He had been offered a second chance thanks to his loyal friend. He couldn't waste it. It was time.

Just as soon as Ratchet was about to deliver the final blow, he heard voices. His eyes swiftly wandered around the circular arena but the crowd was dead silent, anticipating the imminent demise of the defeated one. His concern grew even more when he spotted a figure among the crowd, sitting on what looked like a throne constructed in a way that separated whoever sat on it from the rest of the audience, as if it was designed for a king or a ruler. The moment he set his eyes on the figure the voices became loud and clear, tempting him to shut his ears with his hands.

 _"It's a good thing your father is not alive to see you like this. A coward, a traitor. He would have been so ashamed…"_

The exile's face who was driven on the edge of madness by sorrow and remorse instantly flashed before Ratchet's eyes like an elusive light that burned old wounds. The young mechanic narrowed his eyes, his gaze still on the landlord. It couldn't be. He couldn't bring himself to believe it. It was the Unseen Destroyer. He had found him and now he was invading his mind, dragging him to the symphony of ruin as painful memories emerged from the depths of his mind. His voice. Why was he hearing Azimuth's voice as if he were standing right next to him? No more games. He couldn't stand any more mind games.

The shadowy creature's stare never left Ratchet. His own perpetual gaze seemed to disarm the standing gladiator, forcing him into shades of uneasiness. Ratchet sensed weakness conquering his entire body. His vision quickly became blurry, the voices turned to haunting echoes. The Wasteland Murderer wasn't Ratchet's main concern anymore, neither was the merciless sun. At the final stages of his conscious state he felt his heart burdened by fear as he fell on the ground, embraced by a few grains of sand. The last thing Ratchet heard before being swallowed by an abyss of unconsciousness was the deep and threatening voice of the Unseen Destroyer.

"Bring the robot to me. You know what to do with the other one…"

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

Nighttime's darkness enfolded the desert lands as Loric and Egandor made their way to the Coliseum. Their destination was the dungeons underneath it, risk and danger shadowing their path. Loric had learned what the Coliseum looked like and was able to memorise its architectural structure thanks to maps his new-found ally owned. Now they had to infiltrate it. In spite of the tactics to discipline emotions that Loric had been taught, he felt his heart race and his spirit disturbed by anguish.

After an hour of walking on moonlit roads they both distinguished the circular building where death ruled the fates of the prisoners. Egandor sighed and stared at the Coliseum with yellow eyes full of worry.

"She'll be alright. You cannot help her if you hesitate" Loric attempted to boost his morale.

"I won't. Not anymore" Egandor replied courageously.

However he quickly relinquished his bravery as soon as he heard a loud bang that made him scream in surprise, stumble and fall on the sand. Loric rolled his eyes and pulled him up again, dragging him to a hiding spot behind a rock. They both peeked over the rock's surface with wary eyes and watched inquisitively as a flying vessel of small size took off and floated to the opposite direction of them.

"Phew" Egandor sighed. "That freaked me out a bit."

"Really?" Loric asked in a sarcastic manner. "No wonder it's been taking you months to save your sister" he went on with a tone of irony.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Egandor inquired, feeling somewhat insulted.

"Nevermind. We must move" the Grey Mage stated alerted.

After thoroughly examining their surroundings and deeming it safe to move ahead, Loric and Egandor headed for the Coliseum. Shortly they were standing right in front of its gigantic walls, waiting for the right time to perform their next move. They hid as best as they could by touching the wall with their backs and slowly moving sideways. Not long after that, they spotted a guard and possibly the possessor of the dungeons keys.

Egandor turned his head to his side to face Loric. "Remember, the watchmen are replaced by three robotic guards as soon as they realise someone's not on their post. And they are so freakin' skilled. They usually wield a dagger of sorts."

"Next you're going to tell me they're Zombie Ninja Panda Bears?" Loric commented coldly.

"Is there such thing?" Egandor asked with widened eyes. "Sounds pretty scary."

"I was just joking, but anyway" Loric sighed. He swiftly looked at the watchman's direction who had ceased walking. It seemed he had heard their little conversation and was now scanning the area to spot any intruders.

The guard's eyes were fixated on their direction. They had been found. They had to do something fast. As if by instinct, Egandor drawed his crossbow and fired. Loric expected to see the watchman fall lifeless on the ground but instead of that, something else happened before his eyes. The bolt that was supposed to be lethal was nothing more than a small ball made of fluff that burst as soon as it came in contact with the guard's shoulder and emitted a pink gas, rapidly putting the guard to sleep. After the pink mist dissolved, Loric's stare fell on a lying guard and a silent snoring could clearly be heard.

"Erm, something's wrong with your weapon. Wasn't it supposed to kill him?" Loric wondered, blinking and dumbfounded while he was pointing his index finger at the guard.

"Kill him? I don't kill. I just wanna get my sister back" Egandor responded with a raised eyebrow.

Loric shut his eyes and shook his head. "No wonder" he murmured mostly to himself, referring to his previous statement about Egandor's failed endeavours of saving his sister. "Then why do you carry a dagger?"

Egandor didn't even listen to Loric's question for he quickly headed for the fallen guard and knelt beside him, searching for the keys. Seconds later, he realised the moonlight wasn't shining on him anymore. A shadow in the shape of a tall person covered him instead. He looked up and saw three metallic warriors with small swords on their hands, ready to slice him. He dodged the attack right on time. All he could do was avoid incoming assaults as his bolts of sleeping gas didn't work on robots and his skill on using his dagger wasn't half as great as his opponents' skill. He braced himself for the next attack. But it never came.

Egandor watched the three fighters fall on the ground, overtaken by a sudden urge to recharge right there and then. Their eyes ceased glowing as they fell on the sand. He looked at Loric who had his long sceptre raised, the sapphire on top of it shining. He remained as he was with eyes wide open in surprise. Loric lowered his staff and the enchanting light could no longer be seen. The Mage smiled.

He walked were Egandor stood and after searching the guards' storing slots, they were able to retrieve the keys. Their access to the dungeons had been just attested to.

"Is that it? All that kept you away from your sister was three robot guards?" Loric uttered as they headed for the dungeons.

"I had no way of fighting them. All this time I've been tryin' to get in without attracting their attention but it was impossible" Egandor explained.

"I assume most of the times you ended up running away screaming with a voice worse than Courtney Gears's?" Loric noted cynically.

He immediately received an astonished look by his ally. "Are you a psychic too?" he asked in surprise.

"Trust me when I say I don't need to be a psychic to figure this out" Loric replied with a sigh.

Egandor couldn't let this insult pass disregarded like the previous one. "Says the one who has a weird stick that makes life easier for him." Loric was about to reply but Egandor's next words brought him back to his mission and stressed out what he was really there for. "Look, the entrance to the dungeons".

Without wasting any time Egandor unlocked the door and as soon as it opened, it revealed a staircase leading underground. He climbed down the stairs fast because of his anticipation. At last, he'd see his long gone sister. Loric was following close behind.

As they wandered through the dungeon halls, nothing but silence reigned. "No one to guard this place? How suspiciously convenient" Loric exclaimed in a tone of slight sarcasm.

"You're never satisfied, are ya?" Egandor roared in indignation.

"Egandor?" a female voice echoed through the halls. Loric noticed that Egandor's fur was standing on end, his eyes almost watery.

"Asyrian?" he muttered in pure enthusiasm and ran towards the direction of the voice.

"Slow down!" Loric paced quickly behind him. After he had reached the source of the calling, he sighted a smiling Egandor ready to break into tears of joy and an imprisoned woman with snow-white fur and light blue, almost silver eyes staring at both of them with a bright smile on her face. She outstretched her hand out of the bars and Egandor held it, overtaken by powerful and loving emotions.

"I knew you'd come to rescue me, brother" Asyrian spoke in delight. A clinging sound was then heard as Egandor attempted to open the padlock with the newly acquired keys.

"I'm looking for a Lombax and a robot" Loric wasted no time in achieving his own goal.

"I saw them earlier today" Asyrian replied.

Egandor ceased his struggle with the padlock to look at his sister. "You did? You saw the Lombax?" Asyrian nodded positively with cheerful eyes. Egandor turned his head to face Loric so as to explain. "She's an expert in the Lombax species".

"It truly fascinated me to finally see one for the first time, though it was not under the best of circumstances" Asyrian continued.

"What happened?" Loric wanted to know.

"I saw them at the arena" she stuttered bitterly. "They… they're not here."

"They escaped?"

"No" Asyrian was set free at this instant after Egandor successfully unlocked the door of her cell. She moved forward like a thunderbolt and hugged her brother. Their embrace was short though as Asyrian had yet to explain to Loric where Ratchet and Clank were.

"They were forced to fight to the death. They almost won but… the Lombax suddenly passed out. The Unseen Destroyer took this as an insult, because they broke the rules. They didn't kill their opponent. He took the robot with him. I'm afraid he wants to interrogate him."

"Interrogate him?" Loric questioned with narrowed eyes, feeling confusion. "Why?"

"He displayed some strange powers during the battle. Time-wielding powers" Asyrian explained, remembering vividly the battle she had watched earlier that day.

 _'Abilities that control time? Only the Zoni possess such powers'_ , Loric thought believing that what Asyrian had confessed didn't make much sense.

"As for the Lombax" Asyrian's voice snapped him out of his deliberation with himself. She faltered, unable to go on.

"What? Tell me!" Loric urged.

Asyrian's reply came slowly, as if what she was bound to reveal would hurt Loric's ears. "As a means of punishment, he was banished… to the Golden-Razor Jungle."

"Oh no" Egandor impulsively exclaimed. "This is bad" he noted shaking his head. "Two gladiators have been sent there. They never returned. No one knows what's happened to 'em."

Loric stared at the sand beneath his feet, his grip on the staff becoming tighter. He had no idea what kind of place the Golden-Razor Jungle was but he didn't suppose it was anything good. He recalled the flying vessel he had laid eyes on several minutes ago. Then he realised, Ratchet was in there. He was being sent to his doom and Loric had done nothing to try and stop this. He knew the Unseen Destroyer was hell-bent on keeping Ratchet away from the armor and Loric feared the malicious creature also wanted his mind, his soul if possible.

He turned away from the reunited siblings, indifferent to the thrilling event of finding each other after five months. "Where's this Golden-Razor Jungle?"

Egandor deprived his sister of his attention, now focused on Loric. "Are you serious? You wanna go there? And now?"

"I'll cross the entire planet if need be!" the Grey Mage blurt out, facing them once again. "I didn't come all the way here simply to fail."

The necessity that marked his words seemed to have a great effect on Asyrian. "You can't reach it on foot. You'll need a ship."

Egandor began to protest but his omission to hide his hesitation by his sister who understood what was on his mind even when he uttered not a single word made Asyrian grab his shoulder as a means of showing her stern reproval. Loric watched the snow-coloured Zanimalian whisper something in Egandor's ear, irritated by the sudden need of discretion displayed by the rescued Asyrian.

"Yeah, yeah, I remember now" Loric's companion assured her. He immediately sent an insistent stare at him, a look so canny Loric never believed Egandor was capable of. "Well, here's what we'll do to help the Lombax and the robot."

* * *

 **A/N: Asyrian's name is pronounced "A-SEE-ree-an". And neither her nor Egandor have tails just to make things clear. I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it 'cause seriously, it was so fun to write. What's next? Chapter 2 "A Path Unveiled" is about to be re-written and after that get ready for Chapter 5 "The Price of Survival". Until next time!**


	6. The Price of Survival

**A/N: I'm very sorry for the long wait. Turns out it's going to take a while to post each chapter as it takes time to edit them, not to mention I'll be back to my university soon. So I'm really sorry to say that but expect delays.**

 **I changed the genre of the story from Drama/Adventure to Adventure/Fantasy as it has too many fantasy elements for a story based on a science fiction fandom so this change was necessary to avoid confusion. But Drama is also about to be present, consider it a third major genre.**

 **Thank you all for taking the time to review and for favouriting/following this story thus far, it's very encouraging. I'll heed all advice given to me and I'll try to improve my writing.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Ratchet  & Clank, credit goes to Insomniac Games. I own Loric Ellebor, Egandor, Asyrian and the Unseen Destroyer.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: The Price of Survival**

"Do you think I'm playing games here?" the Unseen Destroyer's deep voice echoed in the room, the mark of rage making it menacing as dark intent hid behind it. "I'm not asking you to tell me, I demand it! How can you manipulate time? This" he continued as he held a spherical Time Bomb right in front of Clank's face. "Did you build it?"

The robot gave a negative response, though reluctantly as regret for his cooperation instantly settled within.

"Then where did you find it?" After a long pause caused by Clank's insistent silence, the landlord kept on speaking. "Time is something only the Zoni can tinker with. I take it you're a Zoni, though in a form different than I'm accustomed to." The creature of unknown origins leaned his face close to Clank's, who felt disturbed by the sight before him. "Where is it that they dwell? Where do they guard their secrets?"

Clank's vision, flawless due to the fact that it wasn't prone to physical corruption like the one of organic lifeforms, allowed him to delve beyond the hood's shade and observe the landlord's face. Little information did he manage to acquire about his origins. He could barely distinguish his rough, brown skin and seemingly sharp teeth. Instead of succumbing to the urge to keep away, Clank's gears turned while he observed the Unseen Destroyer's face for signals of familiarity were sent from his CPU to his circuitry. His optics narrowed as faint waves of recognition rushed within him.

"Answer me!" the ruler of Zanimal yelled and drew away momentarily.

Startled by his enemy's violent change of mood, Clank gave into silent deliberation so as to understand what made him feel that the Destroyer's kind was not something entirely foreign. As a means of evading his glare, Clank examined the room he was in. It appeared to be made of metal and only a few devices probably designed to cause great physical pain were filling it. He assumed they hopefully couldn't be used to torture him as he wasn't an organic. However, robots weren't invincible. He had been locked in there for hours, confined until he could find the will to comply with the landlord's request. He did not wish to find such will. He could not disclose crucial information concerning the existence of the Great Clock. He could not betray Orvus' trust. "I am not aware of their location" he replied languidly.

"Liar! You, a scrap of metal, think you can feed me with lies and get away with it?" the Unseen Destroyer shouted for his patience had faded and disappeared. All of his efforts had led to nothing. The robot before him wasn't about to reveal anything concerning his knowledge about the Zoni. And now as he had predicted, he received nothing but a spiteful glare by an offended Clank. "Very well" the Unseen Destroyer uttered with discontent and walked towards the door. "Expect no clemency from me the next time you and I have our next conversation" he murmured.

Before he could head out of the room, he heard Clank speak. "Where is my friend?" he requested demandingly though caution was also apparent in his voice.

The Unseen Destroyer answered after he laughed venomously. "Don't expect to see him anytime soon. He's probably dead by now."

He laughed again in a malicious manner and finally walked out of the room, intending to return as soon as he'd find the means to torture the robot so as to get the information he wanted from him. Though he believed he had just made a promising start. He abandoned the room and left the shadows of his victory obscure Clank's form as the door behind him sealed and the thud produced stole all traces of artificial light.

For what seemed like a century, Clank only stood there trying to convince himself this was not the truth. The horror he had felt years ago when he had truly lost his best friend crept back, making his entire circuitry overheat. The sound of blinking as he shut and opened his optic lids was the only sound while the Unseen Destroyer's poisonous words repeated themselves over and over again, their effect worse than that of a virus.

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

"Alright, let's get out of here" Ratchet heard an unknown voice speak as he slowly began to regain consciousness. The excruciating pain on his injured arm was the main cause of his awakening.

"Ha ha ha. He won't survive for long" a different voice declared.

After a while, he heard a sound of something dropping right next to him and a minute later the noises made it clear that the ship which had brought him to his _punishment_ was now setting off. It didn't take long for silence to reign.

After finally finding the strength to overpower sweet oblivion, Ratchet opened his eyes and stood up as fast as he could. He spotted the object that had fallen beside him and took hold of it ungratefully; it was a metallic rod with a crude design, resembling a plain crowbar.

"You okay Clank?" Ratchet asked to no one in particular while keeping his gaze fixed on the rod in his hands. It took him some time to realise he was all alone. Again… "Clank?" He called once more while searching around but to no avail. For the second time in less than 24 hours he had woken up to a completely unfamiliar place and without his best friend. He shook his head with these thoughts, voicelessly admitting that Talwyn was indeed right about him.

Ratchet explored his surroundings as light rain kept on descending and he observed a lot of plants almost as tall as the dark sky above his head, their yellow leaves sparkling as drops of water landed on their surface making their shade give into an enchanting hue of golden. No sand was beneath the sole of his boots anymore. This time the ground was consisted of soil and fallen, unnaturally triangular leaves. He frowned, his features changing into a confused expression. "This can't be Zanimal. Where the heck am I?" he quietly spoke to himself.

Something moved from behind the foliage and the sound of thrusting leaves was detected by Ratchet's sensitive ears. He rapidly turned around and awaited for the predator to move forward, the crowbar held even tighter as if it was the only thing that allowed him to cling to dear life. Some seconds of stillness passed. Ratchet's heart began racing faster. And another one. Adrenaline shadowed every sign of hesitation. And another one. Ratchet breathed deeply.

And as he had predicted, his enemy jumped out of its hiding place. He couldn't resist to curse under his breath after he set eyes on the hunter. The creature was at least twice as tall as Ratchet, four-legged and had ashen fur and incredibly sharp fangs that seemed to promise agonizing pain with the slightest contact. The wolf-being bore its teeth at the wounded newcomer and moved to a position that indicated it was ready to attack. Ratchet could barely hide his astonishment as he had never encountered an enemy like this before. Despite the much distracting pain on his arm, he stubbornly refused to expose any signs of panic. He held the crowbar defensively with his unhurt arm and prepared for what would be thrown at him next.

The wolf-being attacked and as reflexes reacted, Ratchet hit its face with the crudely constructed weapon. The enemy was slightly confounded but its objective to devour its prey returned quickly. Ratchet was assaulted again but managed to jump backwards and land safely after performing a mid-air somersault. Instead of attacking, he grey-furred creatures howled in the air and in a matter of seconds, more of its kin appeared and surrounded the young mechanic.

Ratchet looked around him, observing the eyes of each wolf-being and seeing nothing but hunger in them. "So, you brought your friends? Can't beat me on your own?" he said to the hunting animal he was initially fighting with, his wit never forsaking him.

The response he received was a loud growl from that very wolf-being, the rest of the pack imitating this act right after and creating a sound that resembled boiling water. Ratchet reacted fast and performed a comet-strike with the crowbar just the way he always did whenever he fought with his OmniWrench, disorientating his predators and grabbing the chance to flee. Needless to say the wolf pack were hot on their tracks, hell-bent on capturing the banished gladiator.

Ratchet ran faster than he had ever run in his life, his heart pounding so quickly that his chest hurt. He took glances behind him to calculate the distance that separated him from the bloodthirsty wolves. They seemed to be catching up fast as they raced in high speed, their fangs exposed in eagerness to claim their the newcomer's life. A wolf managed to get dangerously close to Ratchet and hence, he decided to sacrifice his crowbar and throw it at the hunter in order to get the upper hand. The wolf tripped and fell on the ground, resulting in being left behind as the rest of the herd continued the race.

Ratchet was left with no means to defend himself. He hoped his feet wouldn't fail him as he tried to gain more speed, despite the sheer exhaustion that began to overtake him. He narrowed his eyes as the rain moistened his fur. He gritted his teeth as a result of beginning to lose the battle. After running for so long, he couldn't help but gradually slow down as his lungs started to ache due to all of his effort. The wolves were approaching him more and more as the seconds passed, disclosing their voracious mood. He couldn't fail, he just couldn't allow himself to fail.

And while everything seemed lost and Ratchet considered himself already defeated, the ground beneath his feet suddenly caved in and crumbled, revealing a deep hole. The power of gravity instantly took over and Ratchet began falling, totally unable to prevent himself from screaming. The wolves ceased running and stood right at the edge of the vertical slope, watching with disappointed eyes as their prey was being swallowed by unforgiving darkness.

Ratchet attempted to grab onto some thick roots that had lashed him earlier while he was falling. His first endeavours were met by failure but after a while he managed to control his fall by gripping one of the roots. His descent had been ceased but his arm hurt even more now. With dropped ears, he looked up and saw the hole where he had fallen from far away from him. He was deep under the surface and the only thing that could reach him was the rain. He looked down and was faced with nothing but darkness. He had no idea how far the ground might be. And he couldn't keep hanging from the root for long because of his injured arm, neither could he try to climb down as his wounded arm would fail him and he would end up falling anyway. His intense panting and the rainfall was all that could be heard. The rainfall…

Ratchet perked up his ears and his eyes widened, glowing with slight cheer. He had come up with an idea. He concentrated on the sound of rain to see if he could actually hear it touch the ground. Much to his good fortune, he could listen to the raindrops crushing on steady soil quite clearly. This meant he could attempt to let go of the root without running the risk of serious injury or certain death. He inhaled deeply and commenced his plan as his arm literally burned by the great effort he made in order to cling to the root. The downfall had begun again.

This time it was cut short by his contact with the ground that was accompanied by a loud thud. He had landed a bit clumsily but without incurring any kind of injury. _'Damnit, Qwark. I could have skipped all this trouble if you hadn't lost my hoverboots'_ , he thought angrily as the aforementioned incident replayed itself in his head. That hadn't been a good day and the more he remembered it the more he wondered why he hadn't tried to kill the green-suited _hero_ yet. On the other hand, he could have landed safely if Clank was with him. _'Clank… Where are you, pal?'_ he thought worryingly.

Ratchet stood up and rubbed his arm, pain becoming sharper than before and disturbing him. He tried his best to ignore it by looking around so as to locate a path he could walk on. Pitch blackness enveloped everything. He took the first steps out of the rainfall and into the darkness, mostly relying on his hearing and touch. With some effort, he managed to find an uphill path and followed it hesitantly.

After many minutes of soundless walking, Ratchet found himself in an almost circular area which was illuminated by the dim moonlight thanks to a hole above his head similar to the one he had fallen from. He wandered there, his footsteps imprinted on the mud with every movement. All of a sudden, he stumbled on something and almost fell but managed to maintain his balance. He glared at the ground to find the object responsible for this little setback but his expression changed drastically as soon as he located it. He had stumbled on bones.

Ratchet resisted the urge to avert his stare and while inspecting the bones he recognised two skeletons laying lifeless on the mud, one of them with an old blaster on his (or her) side, probably used for self-defense. Ratchet outstretched his arm carefully in order to reach the blaster. He grabbed it with caution, as if it would break or his actions would wake up its owner, and retrieved it with a grateful smile.

"I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I borrowed this, would ya" he told the deceased creature, his expression as well as the tone of his voice indicating he was still feeling unsettled to say the least.

He examined the blaster as elaborately as the light would allow him to. It was a very old model but any kind of weapon was welcome at that moment. A beastly roar alerted his senses. His ears instantly erected and his tail remained motionless so as not to attract any attention. The roar repeated itself, this time much more loudly. Ratchet slowly turned around to face the source of the monstrous snarl. His eyes widened as soon as he sighted a being similar to the wolves that were hunting him earlier. However, this one had crimson fur, red irises and was visibly larger than the other creatures. It was breathing rapidly, an expression so furious and devoid of consciousness it had an unnerving effect on Ratchet. The Lombax aimed at the predator steadily with the old blaster and took a few steps backwards, this time without stumbling.

The crimson wolf barked and Ratchet immediately pulled the trigger, his instincts reacting to the sudden disturbance of relative quietness. Nothing but a click penetrated the atmosphere. He did so again only to be met with the same result. He quickly formed in his mind another way of shielding himself. Though it had failed in the past, he gave it a shot and threw the blaster on the wolf. It seemed to have little to no effect. "Okay, I gotta face it. This. Never. Works" he concluded aloud.

As if it was promising him salvation Ratchet ran into the darkness, his new-found hunter following closeby. He hit himself on walls several times due to his lack of vision and while ardently trying to escape. Paws colliding with the mud could be clearly heard, which only made him defy the fatigue that plagued his body and run with more velocity. Crashing on the walls wasn't as unpleasant as the thought of being devoured by the giant wolf hunting him and Ratchet was more than willing to endure this discomfort if his life was about to be saved. He believed the lack of vision worked as an advantage for the sound of running behind him receded more and more. He could only suppose that the wolf had lost track of his own course and thus, he began walking while feeling the walls with his hands in order not to fall on them.

After that suspenseful chase and without being certain he had eluded danger, Ratchet found an opening to the outside. Sighing in relief because he had reached the surface again he walked towards the exit, feeling the frozen touch of the breeze and humidity caused by the rain.

There was penetrating cold and at this particular moment the young Lombax felt glad he possessed fur. While roaming outside, walking under the moonlight and beneath the tall branches of the yellow plants he searched for a place to rest preferably without the danger of being eaten alive. He could spot no predator near him so he decided he could slow down the pace. In the meantime he made sure to remain in the shadows, avoiding any hungry eyes. It didn't take long for Ratchet to locate a rock structure that resembled a very small cave. It could shelter him for some hours.

Ratchet was able to find a few logs of woods and start a small fire. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea as he feared it could become a source of trouble. It could easily attract more wolf-beings. But the cold had become too pitiless and Ratchet had a hard time withstanding it, even with his wet, golden fur standing on end. He sat with his back against the rock right in front of the makeshift hearth and for the first time since he set foot on this forgotten planet he felt his senses relax.

 _'Okay, first things first. How did I end up here?'_ he began to reconcile with this perplexing reality. The last thing he remembered before waking up like dinner served to the _very_ hungry inhabitants was that he was fighting at the Coliseum. He remembered the heat and the sand vividly. He recalled he suddenly started hearing voices again, like those in his dream that began it all. And then the Unseen Destroyer. Afterwards, everything went black and there he was. Stranded, unarmed and alone.

Ratchet grabbed the pocket watch he always carried with him and opened it, revealing the photograph of two Lombaxes. Alister Azimuth and Kaden. This tiny object was a source of solace to him for various reasons and in many hours of distress. Sometimes he looked at it to remember past, yet bittersweet, events that connected him with the General and in other occasions he observed his father's proud face, wondering what he acted like, if he himself was at all like him and how things would be if he had ever met him. This time he stared at the golden-furred Lombax, thinking of Loric's words.

"Kaden's Armor…" he murmured in reflection and sighed. He wondered if he was doing the right thing. He was away from Polaris, a galaxy he felt he had the debt to protect. It could be in grave danger and he could do nothing about it. He was away from Talwyn. He could die and she'd never know how he felt about her. He didn't even say a proper goodbye. And he had left her behind because of a selfish dream. To know more about his father and the Lombaxes.

Was he really treading the right path? Everytime he tried to get closer to his kind, devastation seemed to follow. Was his fate bound to this reality? Could he do anything at all to control it? Was he meant to live as a remnant of a once glorious civilisation? All those thoughts, all these questions filled him with more and more grief every day. Ratchet was never the one to lose confidence and optimism though. He always maintained his gift to care for others and help as much as he could. On the inside though, his mind was clouded by unanswered questions and the lack of closure. For years an empty space seemed to grow within him, a space not even Clank was able to fill.

He closed his eyes and shut the pocket watch as soon as he remembered his friend. He was worried about his well-being, wondering if he was even safe. Dreadful solitude set in as he now became fully aware of his friend's absence. And his ship. His precious ship was damaged and abandoned. He would have to do something about it. If he ever got out of this place alive… He looked upwards to the shadowed sky above him as light raindrops fell, though they were unable to touch him due to the small, stony shelter. He felt his eyes beginning to close, controlled by weariness. He still wasn't feeling secure enough to allow himself to have some rest but he couldn't help this action. Rubbing his pained arm and thinking he wouldn't give up until he was reunited with Clank, Ratchet was defeated by exhaustion and his emerald eyes closed. He was embraced by a dreamless sleep and some moments later the sound of rainfall faded away.

An hour later, Ratchet woke up with a jolt. He was certain he had heard something, he was sure something was there that wanted to devour him. He still felt extremely tired but his wish to survive obscured the urge to fall back asleep. He looked around cautiously, ready to get up and run if necessary. A sound of crackling wood attracted his attention and his gaze was now fixated on the hearth. The fire was almost extinguished but weak flames still burned. Deciding the burnt logs weren't worth his attention, he inspected the area around him with clenched fists. Distant howls could be perceived for the rain had stopped, no longer blurring all noises. The perturbing possibility that the wolf-beings might be returning agitated his nerves, slowly empowering a sense of misgiving.

A metallic sound next to him startled him and he rapidly turned his gaze to the source. "Huh?" he uttered as he observed his trusty OmniWrench lying on the mud.

"Please don't tell me we ruined your vacation. We have a map to obtain" a familiar voice broke the silence.

"Loric?" Ratchet spoke in astonishment and relief. "What happened? Where in Solana are we? Where's Clank?!" After a short pause and much to Loric's annoyance, Ratchet made one more question. "Who's that?" Loric couldn't help but rub his forehead.

"I'm Egandor" the brown-furred man answered. "And you… You're a true Lombax?" his voice held much enthusiasm.

"Uh yeah, last time I checked" Ratchet replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Asyrian will be very excited! Nice to meet you!" Egandor noted and rapidly took his arm so as to shake it but Ratchet withdrew it with a grimace that betrayed his agony. Loric stared at him with a questioning look.

"I need some Nanotech" Ratchet reported.

"There should be some in the ship we s-" Loric said, only to be interrupted by Egandor.

"You're tellin' me this convenient stick of yours can hypnotise robotic guards, scare away those big dogs but can't heal? That's just cr-"

"Wait, you scared away those creatures with this thing?" Ratchet broke out, pointing at Loric's white staff. "And all I've been doing is run around this planet to avoid becoming their meal? You'd make a fortune if you sold it to GrummelNet."

Loric looked at both of his companions with a dumbfounded look. Ratchet couldn't tell if he was feeling confused or if he wanted to strike them both with his _stick_. "It's not that simple. It would take hours to explain" was his sole reply. "And actually, we're not on a planet. We're on Zanimal's orbiting satellite, the Golden-Razor Jungle."

"That's impossible. I saw a moon" Ratchet stubbornly disputed.

"That's the Golden-Razor Jungle's satellite, Aztic" Egandor let him know.

"You're telling me I'm on Zanimal's satellite which also happens to have a satellite? Does Zanimal even have a moon?" Ratchet was unable to believe what he was being told.

"Yup, it does. Welcome to Astarte, um, mister Lombax."

"Ratchet" the mechanic introduced himself. "And I'm pretty sure we're not on a satellite. Satellites don't have an atmosphere, thus they don't have weather conditions. In case you haven't noticed, it's _raining_!" he went on. _'Wow, I sound like a nerd. Clank would be proud.'_

Egandor glared at his new acquaintance. "Well this satellite does have an atmosphere so it _does_ have weather conditions."

"That doesn't make it a satellite, it makes it a planet that's… orbiting another planet, I guess."

"How can a planet-"

"Will you quit it?!" Loric yelled, patience failing to restrain his indignation.

"He started it" Egandor stated and pointed at the Lombax. Ratchet immediately scowled at him.

"I don't care, just quit it. Now, let's head for the ship. I'd rather not linger in here. I don't like the vibes this place is giving off. It's haunted by dark forces" Loric grumbled and moved ahead.

Egandor did the same and Ratchet followed after taking his OmniWrench. "Oookay…" he muttered simply to avoid becoming overly amused by Loric's weird and, according to Ratchet cheesy, way of talking. His mind instantly drifted off to something more serious. "Is Clank alright?"

"He should be. I believe Asyrian will have released him by the time we get to Zanimal" Loric informed without turning his head.

"Asyrian?"

"My sister" Egandor's words answered Ratchet's query. "She used to be a prisoner like you but me and Loric freed her. You see, Clank was taken by the Unseen Destroyer for interrogation. Because of his powers."

"He's a Zoni, isn't he?" Loric finally revealed the suspicions he had all along and at this instant he ceased walking and turned around to look at Ratchet who was standing still, looking angry.

"That's it, he's done for!" he said in fury.

"Don't worry, your friend is fine" Loric sighed and resumed walking, leading the way.

"I'm going to blast him with my R.Y.N.O. and then kick his ass all the way to Veldin and back" Ratchet continued and went on and on about how he was going to make the Unseen Destroyer's life a hell.

In order to create a safe distance between him and the Lombax who seemed to be in a fit of rumbling, Egandor walked fast to catch up with Loric. "He's kind of scaring me. Remind me to never piss him off."

Loric only moaned in mental exhaustion. Why from all the inhabitants of Zanimal did he have to stumble on Egandor? He was on the verge of leaving him there and taking only Ratchet with him. At least he was easier to put up with, despite his usual stubborness which in fact he was starting to get used to. He smiled wickedly in the thought but of course he never intended to make it happen. Instead, he spoke to Ratchet who fortunately had stopped describing ways of making one's life miserable.

"By the way, I found your weapon kept in a glass cabinet in the Unseen Destroyer's quarters. It was like he was keeping it as a, um… trophy? Souvenir? I don't know. I just found it… odd."

Ratchet finally calmed down and observed his trademark weapon with a smile. "Thanks, Loric. So any ideas how we're gonna find the map?"

"Asyrian happens to be an expert on the Lombax species. She's known of the map's existence for years and she believes she's discovered its location" Egandor spoke.

"Where is it?" Ratchet asked curiously.

"I dunno mate, I always fall asleep on that part" Egandor confessed sluggishly. Ratchet silently growled.

"There it is" Loric exclaimed and pointed at the ship after several minutes of walking. "At last. Let's leave this cursed place before my chakras are charged with negative energy."

Ratchet was unable to suppress an entertained grin while Egandor scratched the area behind his ear, asking what in the name of the Twin Galaxies Loric was talking about.

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

"You're going to be okay, Asyrian. Yes, you are. You survived in the damn Coliseum for five whole months" the young rebel told herself as she roamed into the Unseen Destroyer's headquarters. She was in a gigantic building made of metal and glass, a little farther from the Coliseum. Currently she was exploring the higher floors, searching for the diminutive robot.

"You sneaked past the guards. And let's be honest, you could have avoided all security systems if there were any. The hard part's behind you" she went on murmuring to herself as she wandered through the halls in a quiet manner. A shadow caused her to shriek but she instantly put her hand on her mouth so as to silence herself. She eyed the shadow on the floor. Its owner had stopped on their tracks, obviously alarmed by the female's yell. Nothing moved for several seconds when the shadow disappeared and the sound of footfall slowly faded away. Asyrian let out a sigh, ridding herself of a burden she didn't know she had until then.

"Okay, calm down. Calm down" she whispered under extreme stress and took deep breaths. After a while, she managed to muster some courage and move on. Her search led her in front of a metal door which was sealed and labeled as 'Experimentation Facility'. Asyrian stared at the impenetrable portal, wondering how she'd get through. She found it likely that Loric's friend was in there. It was her best guess and the sense of danger which made her want to leave this place as soon as possible was already turning her fingers and toes cold. She didn't want to waste more time wandering into hostile territory or thinking things too thoroughly.

She paced around but without getting the door out of her sight, her hands fidgeting. Her anxiety grew greater right when she heard someone head for her direction. She hid by walking through a nearby hall, which caused her to lose eye-contact with the door. She didn't want to risk being spotted so she trusted in her hearing to fathom what was happening. The sound of a heavily fortified door opening tore the air as it was dragged slowly, the noise loud and impossible to ignore as friction between the door and the floor increased. It quickly closed with turbulence before Asyrian could do anything. Even if it had been kept unlocked, opening it would be an audible act and she would be caught red-handed. She remained where she was, her mind racing to find a solution to this baneful position she and Clank were in.

Clank's sensors picked up the Unseen Destroyer's presence though he could barely receive the signal. He urgently needed to recharge. He had been working on his Time Bombs ceaselessly ever since he was acknowledged of Ratchet's potential death. He had only taken five with him after his departure from the Great Clock in order for them to be used in great emergencies. He had already used one at the Coliseum and another one had been seized by the other person in that very room so he had three left. Unable to process what the Unseen Destroyer had told him, be it a lie or not, he decided to take drastic measures in order to escape. This didn't mean he would follow logic and rationality like always. Emotions were something he had yet to fully comprehend and learn to control. He hoped his plan would work and that he would be out of this suffocating room in a matter of minutes.

"I won't show mercy on you this time" the landlord rawly announced.

"I could never expect you to" was Clank's reply, spoken in a somewhat cold manner.

"That's very wise of you" the figure said, taunt hidden behind his feigned compliment. "You see" he went on as he paced around where Clank stood. "Desiring something that's beyond your reach isn't noble. It's foolish. The Universe has already set its order of things. Isn't it foolish to try and change it?" he ceased walking and eyed the robot who had his optic lids narrowed in aggravation. "I know why you're here. You want Kaden's Armor." A brief laugh escaped him before he continued talking. "You believe the Grey Mages will help you? You're wasting your time" he spat disapprovingly. "You two wanted to change the right order of things. You deserved to be punished."

Clank's moment of realisation was reflected in his eyes. He stared at the landlord with wide optics. "You caused Ratchet to faint at the arena. To make it look like we disregarded the rules."

The Unseen Destroyer smiled, though due to the fact that he always covered his face with a hood it wasn't visible. Yet Clank could swear he had sensed the twisted satisfaction the malevolent landlord had felt because of this sinister revelation. "You and him committed hubris and so you had to be dealt with. Hard to realise that because of his foolishness, your friend caused the extinction of an entire race, eh? No more Lombaxes! Now it's your turn" the ruler declared, staring at the robot to catch any signs of sorrow or desperation so as to have his victory sealed. However, he abandoned this objective quickly and turned to one of the devices to switch it on.

Clank didn't waste any time wondering if the devices could indeed torture non-organics as well and threw one of his Time Bombs at his enemy. Instead of creating a sapphire sphere where time flowed more slowly than it should, the tiny orb exploded and sent the Unseen Destroyer to the ground. The landlord groaned, dazed and even a bit daunted. Clank smiled. His plan had worked; taking the example of the Great Clock into consideration when it almost lost its balance and destroyed itself, he had enhanced his bombs with nuclear power. Now not only did they temporarily slow down time but they also created a blast that could hurt enemies. He didn't allow himself to celebrate victory though and immediately ran for the door.

Once he reached it, he tried to make it budge but his small size made his efforts fruitless. He couldn't know if the door had been locked or not and he didn't in fact have the time to find out. He only tried his best to open it and escape. He glanced behind him and saw that the Unseen Destroyer was beginning to regain his senses, his vertigo receding. The effect of the peculiar orb had almost worn off. Clank panicked and started punching and kicking the door, his actions producing clangorous sounds. Afterwards, his sound receivers captured the sound of the landlord supporting himself on the operating device and slowly standing up. He thought the battle had been lost when the door suddenly opened with force, sending him a few feet away.

After he composed himself Clank faced a tall, female creature with snow-white fur. She looked downwards at him with an expression of alertness. "Come on!" she shot and gestured him to follow.

Clank did as he was told, barely avoiding the Unseen Destroyer's grasp. Asyrian jumped and moved backwards because of her astonishment. Clank sacrificed another Time Bomb to ascertain his escape's success. A light-blue explosion sent the landlord on the ground, the unwanted effects of dizziness and time manipulation taking over again. Asyrian rushed forward to shut the door and block it with a nearby piece of furniture, although she knew that if she expected it to stall the Unseen Destroyer she was merely fooling herself. However, rational thinking submerged at the face of danger. No words needed to be exchanged with her new acquaintance, only a look. They both ran away from the enraged ruler as fast as they could, Asyrian leading the way out of the building.

Much time elapsed them but it felt as if a sole second had passed since the Unseen Destroyer was blasted by blue light. Asyrian and Clank were walking the desert wastelands that had been touched by night's engulfing darkness. Clank was the first to disturb the moonlit quietness.

"I would not have escaped if you had not assisted me. Thank you" the robot said politely.

"Oh, it was nothing. Okay it _was_ something, I was freaking out the entire time I was there. But I'm sure you'd do just fine with those cool bombs" the woman native to Zanimal responded.

Clank refrained from getting into details about the true nature and significance of the Time Bombs and went on to introduce himself. "My name is Clank."

"I'm Asyrian. I used to be a prisoner, like you and your friend" she had spoken with a lighthearted smile.

"My… friend" Clank murmured, disheartening thoughts leaving their traces on his face as he held a sullen expression.

"Don't trouble yourself, he'll be okay. My brother and Loric are at the Golden-Razor Jungle to bring him back as we speak" Asyrian reassured her new-found ally.

"You know Loric?" the robot asked startled.

"He helped my brother get me out of the Coliseum."

"What is the Golden-Razor Jungle?" Clank asked while curiosity flooded through him about the location's nature.

"It's where they send disobedient gladiators. Look, I'm sure all this seems confusing right now but let's get back home and I'll explain everything."

Clank decided to compromise and kept silent as his nighttime walk with Asyrian continued. He was a patient being and if it were for their safety, his answers could wait. Asyrian's words chased some of his anxiety away and he kept them in him as they headed away from his former prison. There was a high chance Ratchet was alive. And if this was true, he could allow himself to consider this a victory and find the strength to prove the Unseen Destroyer wrong; that he didn't have the authority to decide the fates of people and that the desire to change things wasn't hubris or foolishness. It was a power that had to be accompanied by nobility in order to allow a better world to be born. It was a virtue granted to few who had the courage to carry the weight of the Universe on their shoulders. Few perhaps like him. Few certainly like Ratchet.

* * *

 **A/N: I didn't mean to insult anyone's beliefs with Loric's statement about the chakras. It was there only for comedic effect. I just find it funny to display the contradiction between Ratchet's world and Loric's nature because those two simply don't match. I hope Loric's presence is more entertaining than annoying. I know most readers have a grudge against OCs, that's why Loric's not gonna be there for the entire story.**

 **I think I'll need a beta-reader for the next chapters but I have no idea how to work with one so I'll also need some guidance. The things I need help with are how consistent the plot is with the R &C universe and maybe on the character presentation too. If you're interested in helping, feel free to PM me.**

 **I apologise if some narrative patterns seem repetitive and if some words are used too often, English is not my native language so I only have limited ways to describe what's happening. Hopefully it won't take this long to post the next chapter. Thanks for reading, until next time!**


	7. May the Treasure Hunt Commence

**A/N: Wow, I'm surprised with the support I've been shown! Thank you, thank you, thank you for the reviews to zenith88, SpaceWonder368, Josh14Raider, echo333, Tara Poole and Ring-tailed Girl! Also thanks a lot to zenith88, sonicfighter21354, NightwingNinja17, Lightsaviour2759a and smartcat9 for favouriting and/or following this story! All of you have an appreciation cookie!**

 **Also, super special thanks to NightwingNinja17 for beta-reading this chapter. It turned out much better than I expected thanks to her help. Have two cookies!**

 **I'm very sorry it took more than a month to update. Things do get in the way, I have a very busy schedule. Plus I was busy playing Into The Nexus and Tools Of Destruction! Yes, I _finally_ got a PS3!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own this totally amazing franchise called Ratchet  & Clank. I do own Loric, Egandor, Asyrian and the Unseen Destroyer.**

 **I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: May the Treasure Hunt Commence**

Thick murk still covered Zanimal when the stolen ship entered the planet's atmosphere and tore the dusty due to the desert lands air with its pointy front. Leaving Egandor to fly didn't seem to have any effect on Ratchet's pride and even if it did he had been deprived of the energy to mull over it. Once adrenaline diminished into a faint reminder of its past presence through aching knees and a barely sensate lightheadedness, most of his strength was absent as soon as the sound of rain and the golden-coloured leaves were replaced by a comfortably closed space and the noise of operating thrusters.

Ratchet had been administered Nanotech, thus his arm had been completely healed, a fact which relieved him for he was rid off the unpleasant pain. Reaching Egandor's house was accomplished in silence and Ratchet thought his arrival there was uneventful, _unnervingly_ uneventful being so used to have enemies launch forward to kill him on a regular basis. After they secured themselves inside walls made of mud and clay, Loric offered the rest of his weaponry to Ratchet as he had retrieved it along with the OmniWrench. The only reason he hadn't bothered to deliver them to their owner on the Golden-Razor Jungle was because, according to him, they were an endless mass of dangerous tools and way too inconvenient to carry. Ratchet had sat on a chair round-shouldered and with his head lowered, too tired to conceal the bewilderment he was feeling. Too much had transpired in a limited amount of time. In addition to that, he was hungry and desperately needed to sleep. However, little did these things matter when he thought of Clank's absence.

From Egandor's unending footsteps, Ratchet could tell he was pacing around the room in uneasiness and the last time he raised his gaze, Loric was half-sitting, half-lying on an armchair. He assumed the Grey Mage hadn't changed his position for his brown-striped ears hadn't caught any noises from his direction.

"Are you going to do that all night? You're giving me a headache" Loric complained with eyes closed, not even bothering to glimpse at Egandor.

"Maybe I'd find the heart to stop if you could make my sister show up with your stick" was Egandor's obstinate reply.

"For the last time, it's a staff. And I've told you before, this power we Grey Mages wield doesn't work like this. Not that someone like you would understand" Loric defended his pride with equal tenacity.

"Oh, of course. I'm nothin' but a stupid boor while you're a smart and badass sorcerer, right?" Egandor spoke spitefully.

"Guys, take it easy" Ratchet interfered, believing the atmosphere had become too intense to abstain from the argument. "Loric, what are you doing? Egandor's helping us, he's offered us shelter."

"Let's just say I'm not good at making allies" Loric's tone was indifferent, showing that he was uninterested in the affair Ratchet was pointing out.

"Yeah, I can see that. That's why I'll be handling matters from now on" he spat, his composure having depleted the same moment his vigour did.

Loric rose to a full sitting position and turned his head to look at Ratchet. "We might as well settle this as soon as we retrieve the map."

"A map created by _my_ kind which leads to _my_ father's armor" Ratchet spoke boldly after he stood up. "I'm in charge" he emphasised his statement by pointing at himself with his thumb. "You better deal with it."

Loric glared at Ratchet with cold, blue eyes. However, he didn't manage to say anything as Asyrian didn't even give him the time to.

"Wow, I didn't know Lombaxes can be that bossy" her voice turned everyone's attention on her and her new acquaintance.

"Clank!" Ratchet called enthusiastically and ran towards his friend. He knelt in front of him and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm so glad to see you, pal" he exclaimed in pure joy expressed by a bright smile.

"I am glad to see you too, Ratchet" Clank confessed while smiling as he held the Lombax's hand that was placed on his shoulder. "I feared you had been… harmed."

"Nah, they'll have to try harder to get me" Ratchet boasted. Behind him, Asyrian was already lost in Egandor's embrace. It seemed as if there were no more worries for the two siblings.

"Welcome back, Clank" Loric moved to the heroic pair's direction. "I'm impressed to see you escaped the Unseen Destroyer. I admit it's admirable."

"Oh, you should have seen him. The Unseen Destroyer almost had us but Clank threw a bright bomb at him which exploded and sent that bloody stinker to the ground" Asyrian claimed with great zeal.

"Since when do Time Bombs cause an explosion?" Ratchet wondered as he frowned.

"I modified them" Clank announced and after he stated it hadn't been a difficult task he began explaining, with the use of scientific terms, the precise course he followed in order to perform the particular upgrade, making Asyrian and Egandor's faces look as if they had smelled something _really_ bad, Loric's headache worsen and Ratchet stare at his friend with widened eyes as more than half of the words Clank enunciated had been forgotten in split seconds.

Everyone set their gazes on Clank and blinked as though they were in a daze. For several seconds nothing seemed to be in motion and Clank wondered what was making everybody in the room act like they had just been blasted by one of his upgraded Time Bombs. Egandor was the one to put an end to the quietness.

"Cool, bro" he praised and extended his thumb upwards as a gesture indicating approval. "But I have no idea what you just said."

Asyrian resisted the urge to smack a palm on her forehead and instead elbowed her brother for according to her his words could have sounded insulting to Clank. She sighted Ratchet and realised that a dream which seemed to have lasted for a lifetime had been finally fulfilled; she had met a Lombax. And not just any Lombax. She smiled before talking to him.

"If Loric is right, you are the rightful heir to the map" she spoke as formally as she could and heard Loric mutter that he's always right or something akin to this claim. "I'm Asyrian" she extended her arm.

"Ratchet" the mechanic introduced himself and shook Asyrian's arm. "Egandor told me you know where the map is."

"But he never actually told you the location, did he? Because he always snores just when I'm about to tell him!" she spoke intensely and gave her brother an angry stare. He only smiled in embarrassment. She decided not to let her annoyance obscure this important moment. "The map's underneath the Coliseum, beneath the dungeons."

"You mean the arena?!" Ratchet shot in disbelief. Asyrian nodded affirmatively.

"Really?" Egandor pronounced only to receive one more angry glare from his sister.

"Pardon me" Clank intervened. "But you are saying that we were so close to the map from the time we arrived here? That is quite ironic" he concluded with a finger on his chin. Ratchet nodded in agreement.

"Oh well. Life's full of ironies, sooner or later we have to realise it" Asyrian shrugged. "According to my research, the structure underneath the dungeons has the form of, ehm…" the white-furred Zanimalian prolonged the silence until she came up with an accurate word. "Caveway, you dumb!" she softly muttered. It took a while for the heroic duo and Loric to realise it was herself she had corrected. "Right, a caveway."

Clank sent a look at Ratchet only to see his friend stare at him with the same baffled expression. Loric interrupted Asyrian's train of thoughts that was expressed through her speech. "Won't it be safer if we get there during the night?"

"We won't be able to navigate with the lack of light. Our only option is to take our chances and get there in the morning" the female with the odd tendency of talking to herself as though a second Asyrian dwelled in her went on. "The architecture is relatively simple. Only a few paths to follow, they're not going to confuse us. It'll be quite easy once we manage to get to the Coliseum undetected. For now we should grab a bite and rest."

No one seemed to protest so the group went on with Asyrian's suggestion, only that Clank went on with the second part of the plan for he didn't have to eat to fend for himself. All of them had undergone events that had tested their limits and additionally, there was a long day ahead of them so no one was foolish enough to reject such a proposal. A few hours separated the group from the sunrise and the challenges it would give birth to. And for all Ratchet knew, some of his notions were bound to change with tomorrow's discoveries, beneath tomorrow's light. But he wasn't feeling discouraged. Who he was would withstand the turbulence of whatever awaited him in ageless patience. He was willing to accept the consequences of his quest. Beneath tomorrow's light he would lay his hands on Kaden's map, for better or for worse.

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

Daylight had never felt more promising for Ratchet. His heart pounded fast even with the thought of it; today he'd take one step closer to his kind's legacy. And closer to his father, a man even the proud General Azimuth admired and respected. He might have never met Kaden but he knew it was worth the time and effort to discover what he had left behind. This map reverberated Kaden's deeds, whatever those had been, and his Armor represented the intensity of the good he had offered. How Ratchet longed to lay his hands on the armor, to acquire one more thing that would make him even prouder to call himself a Lombax. His mind raced to Fastoon as he imagined the planet not in ruins but populated and busy. Yes, in Ratchet's mind everyone was busy creating artifacts and devices that carried the mark of a wondrous civilisation of both compassion and bravery. Those virtues that echoed throughout the Omniverse with actions, not just words, were what had forged their glory in light and awe. The map and whatever secret it guarded was only a shadow of the spectacular Lombax race. And following this illuminated path was only the right thing to do. Ratchet felt it in every cell of his body and every piece of his soul. It was what he was meant to do. And what he wanted to do. He wished to be a part of those echoes that existed throughout the Omniverse. And he'd never run away. _Lombaxes don't run_ , he had once said. It was time to live up to that statement.

"Are you ready, Ratchet?" Clank had walked beside him but Ratchet had been so lost in his thoughts he had failed to notice. They were both contemplating the wild landscape of Zanimal, a clear blue sky above dried soil where only a leafless tree and a few barrel cacti dared prosper and challenge the sun's supremacy.

Ratchet looked at his friend, smiling benevolently. "As ready as I'll ever be" he spoke in content. "And Clank" he knelt to look at the robot's face better. "Thank you. For always being there for me. I'd never get this far without you" he openly expressed his feelings, something as rare as a planet alignment.

Clank smiled warm-heartedly and nodded. After a short pause, he spoke. "I will do so for as long as you need me to. After all, it is hard for sidekicks to cope with various incidents" he joked.

"Is that so?" Ratchet playfully said and pushed Clank lightly as an act of accepting the joke. Curtly, they heard footsteps behind them and the two siblings arguing.

"Seriously Egandor, five months and you haven't changed a bit" Asyrian talked in grievance. "I told you we would be up early. You just _had_ to forget that, hadn't you."

"You know I always loved sleep. But I _never_ loved the wicked methods you use to wake me up" it was Egandor's turn to complain.

Asyrian laughed almost hysterically. "You should have seen the look on your face. Did you actually believe that you were in some kind of afterlife?"

"I was covered in red sauce! I could only assume I'd been killed. What would you think?" Egandor whined, trying extremely hard to find justice in his horrible aforementioned ordeal… and failing as Ratchet and Clank broke into laughter. "What?!"

Loric followed close behind with a broad smile on his face. "And this is my definition of a good morning" he stated, omitting to conceal his overall amusement about what had happened to Egandor. "But we must get serious, we've important work to do. Ratchet, I want you to be on the lookout. There might be trials down there designed to only be beaten by a Lombax. Keep your eyes open" he advised as he took a firmer grip of his staff.

"You worry too much, Loric. I've got everything under control" Ratchet told him confidently. "What are we waiting for? Let's go" he spoke and walked ahead, unable to hide his enthusiasm.

It didn't take long for their march to begin and soon they could see the Coliseum in the distance. Loric expressed one more concern, hoping Asyrian would hold the answer for him. "I've been wondering… If the Unseen Destroyer rules these lands, then how come he hasn't claimed the map for himself?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe he doesn't know it exists. I mean, hopefully" she noted in uncertainty.

"Even if he is aware of its existence, he might find no reason to retrieve it as long as he believes Ratchet is dead" Clank added.

"Good point" Loric commented. "But that doesn't mean we should drop our guard" he warned. "Live as if every day is a day of adversity, live with the thought that prosperity is a goal impossible to accomplish, only then you can be prepared for-"

"Blah, blah, blah, more cryptic talk" Egandor raised his hands, his tone becoming considerably loud so everyone in the group could hear his complaint.

Loric inhaled audibly, striking the bottom of his staff with force with the objective to produce a clack as powerful as his anger. This never transpired because of the sandy ground which only enhanced his irritation. "Go ahead and tell me, oh mighty warrior whom everybody dreads, why are you carrying a dagger when you're obviously unable to use it?"

Ratchet sighed, rolling his eyes as a means of expressing his indignation. "Don't get started again" he turned swiftly, glaring mainly at Loric. "Why can't you two get along?"

"He's an imbecile!"

"He's snobbish!"

Loric and Egandor expressed their charges to the other almost simultaneously as they both pointed an accusing finger at each other. Ratchet suddenly felt the need to glance upwards as though a device that mutes everyone would fall in his hands from above. If he were to be honest with himself, he would even sell his VG-9000 to be handed a Sheepinator right then and there. It could have come in great use.

"Don't call my brother an imbecile!" Asyrian attempted to rush to Loric thinking her speed would somehow intimidate him but this only resulted in the loss of her balance for the sand made her footing unstable. "He might be a bit… um… ingenuous, but he's very supportive and always trying to do his best" she scolded, staring at Loric's face which held a rather uninterested expression.

Loric's tone was more than merely sufficient to disclose his indifference on the matter. He supported his weight on his staff to lean close to Asyrian's face, hoping it would have a disheartening effect on her. "I'll have you know that asking help from him was the _worst_ thing I could-"

A slight knock was suddenly heard as soon as the sole of Asyrian's shoe touched Loric's staff and before the man with the grey attire could conceive what had happened, he was seen sat down on the sand in a quite graceless position. Ratchet winced at his awkward fall while Clank fully opened his bright green optics. The siblings' laughter filled the air and meanwhile, Asyrian's look manifested her boast for kicking the grumpy Mage's staff and making him tumble.

No matter how many deep breaths he took, Loric's rage was impossible to restrain within the limits of self-control. No lifeform had ever made fun of him and he didn't expect it to come from the inhabitants of this backwater planet. "Nobody embarrasses a Grey Mage like this!" Loric stood up as clumsily as he had fallen, neglecting to retrieve his staff. "By all the Astral Ones, you shall pay for your disrespect!"

"Please contain your anger, Mr. Ellebor. This is not going to help anyone" Clank's peacemaker instincts emerged, but due to the robot's small stature he had not been paid attention even though he tried to step in.

"Now you've got to admit this sounded stupid" Egandor remarked with a lazy smile, completely ignoring Clank's efforts to restore concord. Asyrian silently chuckled at that observation. "Honestly, why do you talk like that?"

"That's it, you're a dead fluffball!"

Loric hastened to attack Egandor and one second later he was clasping his neck with both lilac-skinned hands, shaking the creature native to Zanimal. Egandor tried to shout but the only thing that came out of his mouth was his tongue due to Loric's unexpected attack. Asyrian stood frozen on her tracks, staring at the fighting pair dumbstruck, though the sight before her was more comical than alarming. Clank headed for their direction but was stopped by his Lombax friend.

"Don't bother" said Ratchet, peculiarly unswayed by the hate Egandor and Loric openly expressed for each other.

It didn't take long for Asyrian to dive into the scuffle to defend her brother and the three soon ended up delivering and receiving punches.

"I am surprised" Clank spoke as him and Ratchet watched the fight with immense interest, giving the impression they had nothing better to do. "Usually it is you who starts such brawls."

Ratchet's mind was occupied with the memory of Loric declaring they had a significant task and that they should remain serious, a statement that came in perfect contradiction with what he saw before him. "Okay, I've had enough of this" he decided to finally intervene, despite finding the sight entertaining. And he knew he should be feeling guilty about it. It didn't mean he did.

A sound of someone clearing his throat made Asyrian turn her head only to allow a punch to land on her cheek. However, what Ratchet was holding rendered her fight less significant. "Everybody stop!"

"Whoa, no, no, what, where did you find this?" Egandor mumbled in nervousness after falling on the ground. He felt thankful for the excessive amount of sand for otherwise he would have broken his chin.

"Sh-show mercy, Ratchet. We'll stop, really" Asyrian implored. Ratchet maintained his guileful smile, uninfluenced by Asyrian's begging while he tossed the object in the air then right back at his hand playfully.

"Why all this panic? What is this?" Loric moved away from the other brawlers, his questioning gaze set on the shiny sphere in Ratchet's hand.

"That's an instrument of torture! Trust me, if you don't know what that is you've never been embarrassed or humiliated" was Egandor's reply. Loric still couldn't fathom what made the orb so dangerous. In fact, he found it beautiful to look at as it sparkled no matter what angle it took.

"Are you done?"

All members of the group except Clank nodded, refraining from speaking in fear of undergoing the challenge of Ratchet's Groovitron and living in shame for at least a month.

"I take it I've gotten my point across" Ratchet insisted, surprised by himself for having the ability to sound so stern, probably because it hadn't come in need so far.

When the ones in question nodded again, he felt his own features relax and give in a warmer expression. Stepping ahead to reach the Coliseum showed he considered the matter to be over and to his relief, no one took the initiative to continue the quarrel but instead, he heard footsteps that were almost soundless due to the texture of the ground follow him. Unrepentant satisfaction flooded through him, its presence glowing into the green of his eyes.

The group continued their quest as Zanimal showed its cruel face once again. The temperature was extremely high even for the siblings native to the planet. None of them had to worry for long for shortly afterwards, they were wandering in the dungeons where the temperature was cooler. They had encountered no guard whatsoever and no duel seemed to be taking place. This only caused Ratchet to worry. Enthusiasm suddenly subsided. All too convenient, all too easy. Could it be that they were actually wanted to enter the chamber keeping the map? He knew that saying it aloud might sound foolish but Ratchet couldn't help but feel uneasiness and think that they were being manipulated, that accessing the chamber would serve a puspose the Unseen Destroyer wanted to be served and this was the reason why they had faced no resistance. As much as it tormented him, he kept those thoughts to himself and concentrated on the task at hand.

"There's a story behind the map, you know" Asyrian's voice made Ratchet's thoughts be buried deep within. "They say years ago, Zanimal's climate became too arid and the inhabitants couldn't find any water. They were about to die because of drought. But an outsider accidentally landed here and saw what was happening. His name was Kaden and, come to think of it, you resemble him. From what I've seen of him in pictures anyway." Ratchet couldn't even breathe in fear of losing a word of what Asyrian was telling him. "His homeworld was far away and if he went back to ask for help from his own, many would've died by the time he returned. He stayed here although he could easily leave, his ship was fully functional. He thirsted with us while trying to come up with a solution. He owed us nothing, yet he didn't forsake us. He wandered in the desert searching for water. Until finally he found wells full of water that never drained. He helped Zanimal's people build the new water supply networks and the main aqueduct. Entire districts were grateful to him."

Ratchet felt so proud inside of him. This selfless man had been his father. He admired him greatly, yet he had never met him. That, he believed, was glorious and commendable. "How did the map end up here?" he finally managed to ask as his emerald eyes gleamed in wonder.

"One day, years after he helped Zanimal, Kaden came back. He contacted the landlord, the one who commanded before the Unseen Destroyer's tyrannical rule. He was in distress and afraid. He had said something about his friend making a great mistake and that he needed to protect whatever could be saved, something like that. The landlord didn't make it clear to me and before I could retrieve more information, the Unseen Destroyer… killed him. To cut a long story short, Kaden desperately wanted to hide a map here. He considered that Zanimal would be out of reach for whatever was threatening their planet and he wanted to keep it guarded as a gift for his son. Kaden left as soon as he hid the map. He was never seen again. Ever since, explorers like me have made speculations of the arrival of Kaden's son to claim what's his. Many treasure hunters searched for it only to fail. It took me years to even come up with _possible_ locations. But here we are" Asyrian ended her monologue in great thrill. "And here _you_ are" she looked at Ratchet in a very serious manner.

Ratchet only stared back at her with a much solemn look, showing he was cherishing everything she had told him. Asyrian saw in his eyes the promise of maintaining the honour Kaden's name bore for the people of Zanimal. She smiled in mirth.

"Did the Lombaxes build this place?" Clank queried.

"Yes, it's actually very old. What I believe and find credible enough is that many decades after the Great War, they had the need to search for other places where they could establish their presence because Polaris became too dangerous to remain in. They ran many risks there, despite the Cragmite defeat. Thanks to Kaden, Zanimal quickly came to terms with the idea of Lombax presence on the planet so it was the first place where they began building their own district. But for some reason the plan was abandoned fast" Asyrian revealed her own assumptions. "As far as I know, this is the only construction of Lombax origin on the planet. How it ended up underground is still a mystery to me."

"A deadend" Loric's bold voice was heard, interrupting everyone else from whatever they were saying or thinking.

"What?" Asyrian protested in doubt. "Now way, I…" she checked her sketchy handwriting on her pieces of paper. "There… There wasn't supposed to be a deadend here. The path… The path was supposed to go on. Are you sure you didn't calculate anything wrong with the protractor? Yes, I am."

Ratchet approached the wall which seemed to unsettle everybody. Clank shortly did the same. They both noticed a faultlessly carved circle on the stony wall. Some rays of light that emerged from cracks fell on it in various shapes. "Perfect" they heard Egandor dramatically shout behind them. "We will never find the map."

In comparison with Clank, Ratchet had the advantage of height and hence, was able to observe the surface more carefully. Leaning towards the engraved symbol was required for a closer inspection and what Ratchet discerned was what looked like a gleaming yellow dot at the centre of the circle. He began wondering about its significance until his silent quest was ended by Egandor's voice.

"We probably took the wrong path. Let's head back and try a different one."

"For once, you said something right. We've lingered here long enough" Loric commented with his typical lack of enthusiasm.

However, Ratchet had paid no attention to his comrade's suggestion. He remained unaffected by the words of disillusionment as he slightly touched the symbol in question before turning to face Asyrian. "Do you know what this is?"

She shook her head negatively, out of words in this nonplussed state of hers.

"Apparently she made a mistake and we must go back now" Loric spoke relatively calmly as he took a step forward to attract the Lombax's attention.

"I believe we shouldn't give up yet" Ratchet persisted, stubbornly defying that rising sense of disappointment. "This must mean something" he showed the wall with a hand, aiming to make Loric realise his point of view.

"Well, it symbolises the sun. I don't know how this can be of any help."

With the circle's meaning now unraveled Ratchet looked at the symbol again, determined to prove there was a reason the sun's sign had been inscribed on the wall. He kept staring at it continuously, with everything that was out of his sight also absent from his mind as though he expected something to change on the soulless, uninviting surface.

"Let's go, Ratchet. We are beneath the Coliseum after all, we can't afford to waste any more time" Asyrian's contrite voice was heard but it still wasn't enough to convince Ratchet that they had failed to follow the right track.

His gaze remained on the circle perseveringly but when the sound of soft footsteps died down to a distant movement which he was able to perceive only because of his excellent hearing, he somewhat lowered his ears involuntary and took the first step away from the wall. With a final glimpse at the enigmatic symbol, he finally turned to follow the group with a frown.

Clank was the last to begin retreating as he walked in equal dismay. Unexpectedly, his sight was momentarily hindered by a flash and the small robot had to draw back in order to regain his visual perception. He quickly detected the direction of the blinding light and with optic lids half shut in confusion, he spotted its source. Realisation dawned on him as he examined the strange contrivance which hung from the ceiling. It seemed to end up to what looked like a mirror, its glass leading a sunbeam just a few inches ahead Clank's feet. His optics widened as a reaction to hope being revived. He was confident they had reached the right place. "Wait!" He watched his group except Loric return with eagerness.

"Are you totally unfamiliarised with the concept of waste of time?" the Grey Mage scoffed. "In case you are, it's quite ironic if you think you're a…" with mouth agape yet remaining voiceless, Loric was startled by the swift change of circumstances caused by the contraption.

"I was right" Asyrian talked in a voice a little louder than a whisper, the shuffling of her papers more audible. Her short pause was then harassed by a high-pitched exclamation. "I was right! I knew it! Haha!"

Her burst of exhilaration caused Ratchet to smile gladly as her lighthearted attitude lifted his spirits. He focused on finding out the functionality of the device. "That mirror reflects the sunlight" he silently reasoned.

His gaze became zealous, his tail abandoned its state of stillness and it swayed excitedly as soon as he recognised the frame around the transparent surface to be movable with kinetic energy. Everyone observed the contraption with their breathing soundless as they willingly expected the solution to be unraveled before them. Ratchet smiled slyly before using the Kinetic Tether of his OmniWrench and a blue energy that connected his weapon with the mirror immediately appeared. He shifted the mirror to a different position so as to bring the sunray right into the circle on the stone. The two circles attached and the wall responded to the sudden interdependence of the marked circle and the ray of sunlight, a link between the temporal and the heliacal. The surface that closed their path seconds earlier began to move, ostensibly aiming for Zanimal's atmosphere and the sound produced through the force of friction unpleasantly invaded the explorers' ears. A mechanism was triggered and soon the wall was fully elevated, revealing the rest of the path they were previously following.

The path ahead narrowed and the light could barely reach that area but Ratchet ignored all forbidding signs and ran forward, elation making his fur stand on end. The road was open and the map to Kaden's Armor seemed to suddenly acquire a voice and call his name from the shadows of the caveway.

"Slow down, Lombax!" Loric shouted as everyone dashed to catch up with an overly enthused Ratchet.

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

The light became dimmer, the grace of the sun fading as the explorers strolled deeper beneath the Coliseum. Dust and dirt covered the cave but the sand was always present, reminding them of the wilderness that dominated these lands. Nothing but blunt walls surrounded Ratchet, Clank and their comrades. For a long time, nothing sparked any interest until they were faced with an imposing gate protected by a purely golden sheathing and decorated with tiny pieces of jade.

"That's it? No deathtraps or anything?" Egandor spoke more in disbelief than in disappointment.

"Would you put deathtraps in the place designed to be your _residence_?" Asyrian sighed. "I swear those holo-films you watch have turned you into a psycho."

"Says the one who fooled her brother into believin' he died" Egandor stuttered, the memory making him upset.

Loric moved forward to examine the gate. "This is so thrilling. Look at the unique construction of this gate. Marvelous" he professed.

"Miniscule identification devices are skillfully concealed by the pieces of jade so as to hinder anyone but a Lombax to gain access to the vault" Clank notified the team. "Ratchet, I reckon that if you touch the gate the devices will be activated and will allow us to enter."

"Well, go ahead!" Asyrian suggested eagerly.

Ratchet slightly hesitated at first but afterwards approached the gate and slowly placed his palm on it. He prepared himself and waited with squinting eyes, his senses anticipating to capture the slightest movement. However, nothing but his tail moved for several seconds.

"Maybe it's because of your glove" Loric hinted.

Ratchet found himself on the trail of memories again as the image of the door on Rykan V came so vividly in his mind he could almost swear it was materialising right in front of him. Such action hadn't been necessary back then, which made him suppose that the dust in this place had probably caused a slight malfunction to the door's identification means. Nonetheless, he followed Loric's advice and after he removed his glove he finally touched the gate's smooth surface for a second time. The mechanism was instantly triggered and the gate began to move as the sound of turning gears filled the air.

All let this moment of revealing be imprinted within them, Ratchet longing to see what lay beyond more than anyone. The gate halted to disclose a capacious chamber. Golden light that was produced by multiple gems of the same colour flooded the room and the ceiling was so tall that anyone could easily forget they were in fact in an underground hall.

Ratchet let his eyes feast on the beauty unveiled before him, majesty at its best. He observed each and every bit of the chamber in an attempt to memorise everything and carry this moment within him forever, until the end of his days. Lombax writings decorated the highest part of one of the walls and Ratchet didn't hesitate to separate himself from the group in order to have a better look at it. Driven by fascination, he let the seemingly radiant surface dictate the destination of his slow footsteps. As he raised his gaze, the reflection of the lustrous markings danced in his curious eyes.

From the little knowledge he had on his kind's language, he managed to translate the two words. _Corona Court_. His ears flinched as soon as the meaning of the phrase settled in his mind; this place was constructed to become the equivalent of the Court of Azimuth. He glanced over his shoulder in search of Asyrian. Once outside, he planned to tell her that her theory had been correct.

It was Ratchet's turn to near the shrine placed in the centre of the vault and notice what the rest of the group had realised a minute ago. There was not a single object on it. "Come on. Don't tell me the map's been stolen" he voiced his displeasure with a growing urge to kick the shrine and then blow it to pieces.

Loric walked beside him and stared at the altar in an equally bitter manner. "But how? Who could have entered the chamber?"

"A lever appears to be over there" Clank noticed and everyone followed his lead. There was indeed a switch on the other side of the chamber, right opposite of the gate.

Ratchet approached it. "Okay, let's see what kind of trouble we can get ourselves into" he sighed and pulled it resolutely.

A small part of the wall moved to reveal a pad right above the lever. Ratchet gently touched it with his fingertips and as soon as he did a loud metallic noise was heard. He retracted his hand as if he had been burned.

"Ratchet, look" Clank urged and his friend set his eyes on the direction he was pointing at. "The wall just moved."

Everyone present in the room had the same observation. A double _f_ appeared on the surface behind the wall that had been just repositioned. A message written in the common language seemed to be engraved beneath the external walls.

"Do it again" Egandor instructed.

Ratchet imitated his previous action but with more persistence. He let the tips of his fingers travel on the pad's surface and the walls around him emulated his movements. He controlled the walls in a way that would allow him to read the hidden message. After this effort of his, he turned around and read the message.

"On the cliff of the End of Time… What does _that_ mean?" he asked inquisitively.

"A riddle I presume" Asyrian replied. "Maybe we must figure out the location of the Armor with its help."

For a while nobody even moved, all too busy trying to solve the mystery. No more than three minutes passed and Ratchet's patience vanished for good. He growled in indignation. "That's just stupid! There's got to be something else!" he broke out and launched himself towards the pad, frantically repositioning the walls without a particular pattern in his mind. Loric's eye caught something in between the insane movement of the walls.

"Stop!" he commanded and Ratchet did so with a sigh of indignation. "The letters themselves can be moved. Each one of them separately" he rustled.

"I think I get it. Maybe some of those letters can form a new word" Ratchet mused, finally regaining his composure.

"Of course. It is an anagram" Clank ascertained, shedding some light to the puzzle.

"Could it be? Give me a minute" Loric murmured and handled the pad himself, led by the belief that he knew the exact word that needed to be formed. After a series of unsuccessful attempts and some tips from Asyrian and Clank, Loric proved that he had indeed solved the enigma in his head.

The word " _Ceilif_ " formed on the golden surface.

"Since when are races from Polaris aware of Ceilif's existence?" Asyrian wondered.

Ratchet's perplexed look made Loric hasten to explicate. "Ceilif is an ensemble of planets, practically a small galaxy but with very few planets to be officially declared as such. No more than eight or nine planets exist there. The letters seemed familiar to me because-"

A loud commotion convulsed everyone. "What's happening?" Asyrian inquired shaken. Even if one of her companions had answered she wasn't able to hear them due to the deafening sounds. The shrine was gradually lowered until it had completely sunk beneath the ground, sand descending as well in the process. Shortly, it arose again and as soon as it was fully visible the clatter ceased. The altar was now carrying the prize that the daredevil explorers had earned. It was a papyrus roll protected by a cylinder casket made of copper and adorned by fire opal and benitoite. No one dared to move for no one felt they had the right to claim the award. It belonged to only one of them.

Ratchet took a deep breath. This was it. The moment he had been waiting for. The moment that would lead him one step closer to his father. His mind couldn't conceive reality clearly. Everything was perceived hazily, as though he was living a dream. He couldn't take his eyes off the exquisite casket. Everyone's presence faded, it was just him and the map. Indolent steps led him right in front of the shrine. As soon as he touched the concrete casket, he could swear he felt the cold of the abandoned metal penetrate his glove and send shivers up and down his spine. He held it gently, as if it was fragile and would break with the slightest movement and shortly, he detached the case off its security cap and let the map roll out of its case and into his palm. It was then that his senses became keen again, escaping the haze of frail realisation, and heard the four people behind him approach.

After placing the casket on the shrine, Ratchet finally unrolled the papyrus. A smile of joy softened his features. He was speechless in intense thrill, lost in emotions that almost competed the ones he was overwhelmed by when he had met Alister Azimuth for the first time.

"Wonderful" Asyrian commented with a silent tone like she didn't wish to disturb Ratchet's defining moment. "Look at all these symbols. And how accurately that planet's terrain's imprinted on the piece of paper."

"This planet" Ratchet eventually managed to find his words. "is in Ceilif?"

"Yes, I recognise it. That's what I was trying to tell you earlier, my homeworld is in Ceilif. And the letters of the phrase seemed to indeed form its name" Loric revealed. "This must be planet Azalea" he pointed at the map.

"That's right, it's also written on the map" Asyrian verified Loric's statement after deciphering the Lombax writings.

"Well, Ratchet. You're one lucky guy. You'll get to see Kaden's Armor" Egandor patted Ratchet on the shoulder.

"Ratchet, we must go to Ceilif before the Unseen Destroyer finds out that you have escaped the Golden-Razor Jungle" Clank counseled.

"Don't worry, pal" Ratchet said with a cocky grin while folding the map and placing it in the gem-embedded casket. "As soon as I repair Aphelion, we're outta here."

* * *

 **A/N: The Astral Ones: The revered ancestors of the Grey Mages. (In case you read the chapter shortly after it was posted, yes it _used_ to be Princes of Aether but I find their new name more suitable).**

 **Corona: The outer part of the Sun's atmosphere. The corona is visible during a total solar eclipse, it's the bright glow around the black discus.**

 **The next chapter is also the ending of _Part I: Illumination_. And yes, our heroes finally get to find Kaden's Armor. But this story's far from over. So stay tuned for soon we'll be reaching the second _Part_.**

 **Thanks for reading, until next time!**


	8. Awakened

**A/N: Again, I'm sorry it took more than a month to update. Things are _really_ hectic for me because of my university. I hope the slow updates haven't made you less enthusiastic about the story.**

 **Thank you SpaceWonder368, Tara Poole, Ring-tailed Girl, zenith88, Josh14Raider, echo333 and Jadzia Dax for your utterly encouraging reviews. Also, thank you Max Chronicle for favouriting and following my story, I am grateful. And big, special thanks to NightwingNinja17 for beta-reading this chapter, your help is enormous. The support all of you show is great, you are the only reason I keep posting.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet  & Clank. If I did, Insomniac Games would end up bankrupt because I'd make the next games so dramatic all fans would barely be able to recognise the franchise anymore. So yeah, they're not mine (fortunately for all of us). Loric though is.**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Awakened**

It had been quite a lengthy walk on lands of golden, shimmering grains with merely barren trees as their guide but Loric was able to recall the location of the fallen starship and lead the group there. Ratchet inspected the damage and deemed it as a minor setback. He estimated the repairs wouldn't take long to be completed. Anything he asked, Egandor managed to provide. Tools, bolts, components. His allies even set up a handy construction with a sheet above his head so as to provide him with shade. With the right equipment and the poorly crafted but unexpectedly effective means of protection from the broiling sun Ratchet was allowed to work with the luxury of convenience, accompanied by the team's chattering which seemed to help calm down his nerves. Clank appeared every now and then, asking if Ratchet needed any assistance though he knew the young Lombax enjoyed the specific task and never saw it as a chore. As predicted, Ratchet claimed he was just fine and advised his friend to relax. After a little less than two hours, Aphelion was thoroughly restored. The first thing she said was something about staying out of the action and missing the fun again, a complaint she had expressed before in the past. "Well, at least we know her speakers work perfectly" Ratchet had remarked.

The quest for Kaden's Armor would soon reach its end since the destination of its location was finally disclosed. However, not everyone from the group intended to leave the ground of Zanimal and fly among the stars of Ceilif.

"Come again whenever you can and _with_ the armor, please. I'd really love to have a look at it" Asyrian requested as she shook hands with Ratchet. "You could help me learn more about the Lombaxes so I can finally extend my research."

"Trust me Asyrian, I won't be of much help" Ratchet stated a rather sad fact but with a smile. "But Clank and I would love to come back some time. Right Clank?"

"Certainly" the robot nodded positively.

"Take care guys. And try to have fun in the meantime" Egandor winked as he shook Ratchet's hand.

"Will do, Egandor. Thanks for all your help" Ratchet expressed his gratitude to both of them and soon him and Clank hopped onto the ship. Loric only beckoned his head in valediction to those native to the planet and joined the heroic duo into the ship.

It wasn't long until Aphelion's engines came to life, announcing their departure. Soon the starship was above the dried ground, flying away and leaving Zanimal behind. After she abandoned the tremendous heat and the unwelcoming sand, she was embraced by an enchanting blackness embellished by embroideries of neon lines of light and tiny, sparkling diamonds; Space.

Egandor and Asyrian didn't even mind not being shielded from the blinding light of the sun and only kept on watching the glowing, red line on the sky prevailing over the infinite blue like a wound on the skin of a sapphire-coloured creature.

"I was sure you'd insist on us following them" Egandor commented in a casual, almost carefree manner.

"You've no idea how much I'd like that, to travel with them and witness the discovery of Kaden's Armor with my own eyes" Asyrian spoke in a nearly dreamlike state, hands on her hips and her gaze directed skyward. "But what of the people here?"

"Aaah… A little help?"

The female with the snow-white fur momentarily grunted and raised her seemingly rigid like iron rods hands in the air. "Don't you get it, Egandor? Our _good and wise_ landlord transported all of the captives to his own headquarters. That's why there was no one at the Coliseum."

"And I believe that's, uh, bad" her brother added with an index finger pointed at Aphelion's now faded red line.

"He certainly didn't take them there to make the days of their captivity cozier. You know how his defenses work and I've broken into his facility. It's up to us to set them free and begin the revolution against that foul tyrant."

"Right! I'm with ya." Egandor's normally lively stare fell on the ground, oddly refraining from the typical zeal that adorned his eyes. He twisted his foot and made it sink beneath the sand, hands insecurely held behind him. "Asyrian?" he waited to see his sister turn to face him before going on. "Sorry if this sounds stupid but, could the Unseen Destroyer have left us to find the map on purpose? For his own tactical reasons?"

A sigh escaped her as a pessimistic sense settled in and showed its presence through furrowed eyebrows and the downward curved line of her mouth. "I wish it sounded stupid. Which is another reason why I didn't want to follow them. Because I feared we wouldn't be coming back. I even fear that… we won't see Ratchet and Clank again."

Egandor idled for a while while his mind processed what Asyrian had told him. His sister confused him on some rare occasions and this particular one was no exception. Despite having known her better than anyone and having spent his entire life with her, this statement made her sound like a stranger was talking to him. "So you just let them go? You could have warned 'em!"

"Trust me, they know." Ratchet's solemn and worried face came on her mind like a vibrant image shown right in front of her eyes. She had observed how nervous he was while roaming the dungeons, as though his instincts were warning him of imminent danger. And at that moment, she knew what stole away his excitement; they hadn't faced any opposition. And the possibility of the Unseen Destroyer being unaware of the map's existence was unlikely. But it was her firm, deep belief that Kaden's son must claim the map and that the Armor must be found. She couldn't encourage him to step back after waiting for so long for something extraordinary to happen. So she narrated the events about his father's arrival so as to bring forth his spirit of curiosity. "They know exactly what they're getting themselves into."

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

Loric became the source of good news since he apprised Ratchet and Clank of the short distance that separated them from Ceilif. As soon as the dim glow of the constellations in Astarte Galaxy was behind them, Aphelion updated her starcharts and informed them that it would take up to four hours to reach Ceilif.

For the first time ever since this fierce mission began Loric displayed a more pleasant side of himself and Ratchet and Clank actually started enjoying his company. The three of them talked about past adventures that mostly ended up in humiliating situations and lots and lots of laughter. Loric couldn't get over the story behind the Personal Hygenator. It kept him laughing ceaselessly. Another good thing was that he wasn't feeling nauseous so Aphelion's seats were safe for the time being. He made sure to buy lots of water from Zanimal as its consumption seemed to keep nausea away.

"Approaching planet Azalea's atmosphere in fifty seconds" Aphelion interrupted them from their gladsome conversation.

"Clank, check the map and see if you can find any coordinates" Ratchet instructed as he steered the wheel to fly right above Azalea's surface, which immediately drew his attention. He caught himself neglecting to look forward as he flew and instead his eyes remained fixed on the trees with leaves of dark purple hues as well as the billion stars that shone on the midnight blue sky once he raised his gaze. The excessive amount of stars made him believe that he could actually touch them if he were to outstretch his hand outside the ship and the glittering little spheres left him and Loric with a feeling of wonderment as their luminosity was reflected in a pair of emeralds and a pair of sapphires.

"I believe I found something" Clank proclaimed.

Loric escaped his spellbound state and examined the map too. As Clank had affirmed, the exact location of the territory shown in the map could be found if one looked at it more carefully. Ratchet somehow managed to find the strength to avert his eyes from the bewitching beauty before him and turned his focus on the ship's controls. A brief soar above the ground allowed the three explorers to observe this new, captivating world before Aphelion touched the ground. As soon as they were outside the starship, they gave into a short wandering as elements from the planet's peculiar nature seemed to call each and every one of them individually. There was grass that stretched into the distance as far as the eye could see and probably even beyond, save some rocky paths, and a scent of petrichor predominated the place.

"So, Loric. You've been here before?" Ratchet asked while the starry horizon enchanted him again, persistent and spectacular.

"Yes, one time. I had just entered adulthood and my father brought me here to show me how to use healing herbs" Loric responded. "That was so long ago though. Let's move with caution and be wary. You don't want to stumble on Irdvargs."

"And how should I know what an Irdvarg is?" Ratchet sighed, though he brought forward his question calmly.

"They blend with the environment. They possess skin thicker than the hardest mineral you could find. So they can't be dealt with but they can rip your limbs apart from you anytime and have them for lunch. You don't want that, do you?" Loric informed though Ratchet was certain he was also making an attempt to intimidate them.

"Wow I'm so terrified, please stop" the Lombax spoke sarcastically as he faked fear, mocking Loric's warnings. "As long as they can be blown up, I don't care about what they eat."

"Well I have bad news for you Ratchet, for no one through the history of this planet's entire existence has ever killed an Irdvarg. They're considered invulnerable to any form of attack. So I propose you just run as soon as they decide to show up."

"I do not think this is possible, Loric" Clank joined the conversation. "That would hurt his pride and trust me, he is too stubborn to heed any advice."

"Don't worry, Clank. We'll write _'Ratchet. Died with his pride intact'_ on his tombstone" Loric made an effort to joke and frighten the mechanic for a second time as he broke into a laughter that betrayed his guilt-lacking amusement. Ratchet could only roll his eyes as a reaction to the comment.

"I was wondering" Clank changed the subject as Loric took the lead and began searching for the location shown on the map. "Were you not aware of the Armor's existence when you came here?"

Loric made a sound of clearing his throat. "Well… Let's just say Kaden had _just_ been born when I got here." Loric knew his confession would cause quite the shock.

"Whoa, seriously? How old are you?!" Ratchet asked fervently, eyes widened in curiosity.

"Ratchet, that is not very polite" his friend tried to tame his impulsive nature.

"Um, eh… Just check the map and see if we're on the right track!" Loric urged, desperately trying to distract the two heroes so as to avoid answering Ratchet's indiscreet question.

"Okay but be careful, I'd avoid getting upset if I were your age. Heart-attacks are more dangerous for you than those Irdvargs" Ratchet teased Loric and quickly unfolded the map. He knelt in order for Clank to have a better view of the beige piece of paper. "Right we're, uh… here" he pointed at the spot he declared as their current location.

"We are actually here" Clank pointed at another spot clearly on the other end of Ratchet's presumed location.

"Are you sure?" he asked with an awkward smile after tilting his head when he realised his mistake.

Loric grunted. "It's obvious, we just have to… Look, follow my lead" he insisted and moved forward without bothering to assure that his partners were indeed walking behind him.

Discussions were left aside while the three of them drew closer and closer to what Kaden had in store for his only child. However, for an inexplicable reason the atmosphere became heavier and Ratchet's instincts screamed that something was amiss. He stayed absolutely still for some seconds, causing his disseverance from the group. There was movement around him that made his muscles tense and soon the only thing he did was silently prepare his Alpha Disruptor as he restlessly glanced at the territory around him. Something rustled too close to him and Ratchet turned swiftly to the sound's direction but was faced by nothing apart from the moving grass. Perturbed as he felt, he clenched his teeth and stared at the spot on the ground with narrowed eyes and an unbreakable insistence. A waft of air seemed to blow as the grass moved to its command but the phenomenon limited itself to the spot Ratchet was staring at, something which instantly agitated him. There was no wind, yet the grass in front of him was moving.

Feeling like prey spotted by the predator Ratchet abstained from all motion as adrenaline rushed through him, making his senses keen. And all of a sudden, he distinguished a pair of ruthless bright yellow irises staring back at him through the grass. The only thing he managed to do before his mind could process what was transpiring was widen his eyes in utter surprise for split seconds thereafter, a creature that came out of nowhere launched forward exposing its dead set hostile intentions. With a yelp cut short, Ratchet was able to duck before the unforeseen attacker who landed right behind him, could cause any injury. He turned around quickly, the Alpha Disruptor now held firmly with both gloved hands and aimed at the slim, tall creature whose skin was cypress green with broad, brown lines running on its entire form. Ratchet's mind was fogged due to the assailant's abrupt arrival, so no rational thinking had intervened when he pulled the trigger of his weapon and allowed it to charge. Throughout this whole time, he didn't dare breathe in fear of missing his target. Once the weapon was ready to unleash its ravaging energy on its unfortunate victim, Ratchet ceased all pressure applied on the trigger and the cannon released a bright energy that struck his rival. However, when it dissipated the creature didn't seem harmed and the only change that could be noticed was that it had taken a few steps backwards in response to the blinding radiancy the weapon had produced. Despite the destructive force the Alpha Disruptor possessed, the only thing it had done was burn a few leaves of a nearby tree.

"No way…" Ratchet murmured when the dissolving light revealed the creature he had fired at to be in an intact state.

He witnessed several yellow eyes looking at him malevolently, seemingly belonging to the trees around him which he knew wasn't the case. It took a short while for the Irdvargs to abandon their camouflage tactic and show themselves in their true form; they all were of either bulky or thinner figures and were coloured with variants of green and brown as a result of using Azalea's environment to remain hidden and indiscernible. Ratchet lowered his Alpha Disruptor and shot nervous glares at the newcomers only to have a grim realisation dawn on him; If the most powerful weapon he currently carried had no effect on them, Irdvargs were truly invincible. And he was surrounded by a great number of them.

"Ah, about time" Loric exhaled from several feet away as he gripped his staff, the sapphire on top of it gleaming as if it was feeling the imminent threat. "Let's see how fast Lombaxes can run."

Disregarding the urge to come up with a witty comeback, Ratchet instead focused on finding a way out of the circle the Irdvargs had created after securing his weapon in his arsenal. His chest was rising and falling due to his shallow breathing as his features gave into an expression of anxiety, fingers slowly curling into his palms to form fists. His ear flicked as soon as he listened a sound of light footsteps coming hastily towards his way rising above the rasping breaths of the Irdvargs. Ratchet found an opening between two vicious, particularly muscular Irdvargs and immediately saw Clank standing there with a rather worrisome countenance on his face, waiting for him to react.

Ratchet thought it was about time he overcame the initial shock for with every second of immovability he spent he was diminishing his chances of survival. Boldly deciding there was nothing to keep him back, he ran towards his friend and somersetted in order to avoid an Irdvarg's approaching hand meant to grab him, its size big enough to cast a shadow on him born by the luminousness of the stars. The air instantly felt cooler out of the Irdvargs' entrapping circle and inhaling didn't seem to fill his lungs with oxygen until that very moment. But he didn't have the time to celebrate. He grasped the Zoni robot firmly and made sure he was attached to his harness before racing to Loric, a wish to create a great distance between him and the Irdvargs making him run as fast as possible.

He watched Loric dash into a dense gathering of trees before he could even approach him. "Follow me!" the Grey Mage's alarmed voice reached his ears.

Into the tree region Ratchet could barely discern the path he had to follow because of the entangled, thick branches and the broad leaves that covered them. The light blue glow the gem on Loric's staff emitted served as the most peculiar compass one could ever come across and thanks to it Ratchet didn't lose track of the course Loric was following. The many boles that arose from the ground forced him to cease running but he hadn't slowed down the pace. He could already feel fatigue's unpleasant grip. "Are they still after us?"

It took a while for Loric to give his typically aloof response. "Just keep moving."

A couple of minutes later, the flora receded and an open area full of greenery, resembling that of a valley, unfolded before their eyes as the sky of sublime dark-blue colours and countless stars floated above the already wondrous realm.

Relief filled Ratchet as his luck had decided to show its face for the thousandth time for he seemed to have escaped danger.

"Intriguing. Lombaxes are quite the runners" Loric observed in a teasing manner.

Ratchet saw him lean on his staff casually, a cunning smirk showing the prevalence of arrogance in him. "I take it they lost us?" he simply asked with a surly look, failing to see the humour in Loric's statement.

"As you might have guessed, they're pretty sluggish. So yes, I can assure you they lost us."

Clank detached himself from Ratchet's harness and took a few seconds to admire the impressive landscape. "We must be close to the Armor now" he finally uttered when he managed to avert his gaze from the exquisite natural environment of planet Azalea.

"It's in this building" Loric confirmed and gestured at an old building that stood a few feet away. Its exterior seemed partly ruined, touched by the heartless passing of years. "According to the map that is."

Tall, stony columns appeared sporadically around the old yet gigantic building as trees with violet leaves claimed dominance over the district. Ratchet and Clank stared at the structure in eagerness and would spend much time doing so if Loric hadn't called their names and distracted them from their silent exploration. They approached his position to find out what he wanted and with a soundless gesture he pointed at one of the columns with his staff. The two heroes recognised the Lombax writing on the hard surface. Loric was quick in giving them the translation.

"It says: _By the stars_

 _Freedom at last._

 _Healing the scars_

 _To purify the past._ "

The Mage recognised the lyrical message. He informed the duo that it originated from a traditional Lombax song which was composed after the Great War. No one expressed what they thought of the message but the look on their faces showed it had managed to dig deep within them and speak at the mystical language of profound understanding and soul-searching. It had ignited a fire that spoke differently to every single one of them, each letting it lead them to separate thoughts that were their sanctuary of ideals.

However, Loric had once again stated they shouldn't waste more time and after Ratchet made a quick diagnosis that rendered Loric terrified of the concept of time, which occupied Clank with the task of trying to prove if such mental condition actually existed and left Loric with a quite angry look, they drew away from the column but not without carrying with them the spiritual gifts that the engraved words plentifully offered. The group of three approached the entrance of the building, where Kaden's Armor lay.

The building itself didn't hold any elements that invoked any admiration, yet to Ratchet it was among the most imposing ones he had ever stood before. A faint echo of his heartbeat reverberated in his ears, just like when he walked into the Court of Azimuth and that bewildering sense from when he entered the Corona Court returned, leaving him speechless and under the mercy of that force which swirled around him and threatened to drastically change the core of everything he knew. As though Loric held all the answers, he turned his head to look at him with a seemingly childlike curiosity.

"After you" Loric spoke prudently and gestured him to walk ahead of himself and Clank.

An exhortation heard clearly, yet something kept him back and pushed his will to discover what lay ahead aside, forcing it to the edge of involuntary timidity. In the end, Ratchet overpowered paralyzing confusion and reached the entrance with trembling legs. How could he, why was he acting like this? What was with this entrance that suddenly drained him off all of his strength and integrity? He could clearly hear his heart beat louder than the chaos he caused in every battle. He realised his legs felt too weak to take another step and so, he had remained still right in front of the entrance for countless seconds. In spite of the fact that he felt as though a heavy burden had been placed upon his shoulders, Ratchet ignored his unwillingness, battled fear and defied his instincts. With a sigh, he was able to find his missing courage and slowly walk into the building. Soon, he heard Loric and Clank do the same.

The place was humid and dark, though the starlight penetrated the openings of the ceiling and graced the hall with its majestic light. Ratchet felt great anxiety which couldn't be compared to how he felt everytime he was about to stop an evil villain from causing utter havoc. After a while, he and his companions were faced with a sealed gate made of a black, specular material unless his intense impatience and dread made him hallucinate, which he hoped wasn't the case. Thankfully, Loric's next words reassured him he hadn't become insanity's victim yet.

"I'm getting really tired of those closed gates and deadends" he seethed. "I suppose your weapons can deal with it?"

"I do not think they would do much" Clank acknowledged Loric as he elaborately studied what was keeping them away from their goal. "This gate is made of pure obsidian but only externally. The interior is made of steel, which is a very hard metal."

"Plus, my weapons would pretty much tear the whole place apart and I'd like to keep whatever's in there intact" Ratchet added.

"Technology is highly overrated" Loric remarked after he listened to what those objects Ratchet was so fond of carrying with him were capable of. "Now how do we get in?" he mused, talking mostly to himself.

"Maybe there's a switch or something. Or a hidden key. Let's look around" Ratchet proposed and all of them began their research.

Forty minutes passed and their efforts brought about no results whatsoever. Ratchet also took the initiative to search outside of the building, even looking for the slightest clue on the columns and the walls but it had been futile. Even Clank couldn't think of a way to get in. And if he said he can't come up with any solution, then for Ratchet things were really, _really_ grim. The two friends along with Loric stood in front of the obsidian gate again, hope having forsaken them many minutes ago.

"I can't accept we made all this journey for nothing" Loric lamented. "You" he spoke to Ratchet. "You are the Son of the Stars and Master Orion has to know. I can't back up now."

The Lombax gave a subtle but clearly scornful stare at Loric. This whole mention of that strange title Loric had the habit of bringing up constantly as well as the mystery around Loric's leader made him feel uneasy. And Ratchet certainly didn't feel uneasy often but when he did, it made him overly hot-tempered.

"Ratchet, there must be something we are missing. Let us try to think this through" Clank composedly suggested.

"No Clank, I can't think this through" Ratchet fumed as anger began settling in his chest. "I can't think clearly when I know I'm stuck outside of my father's secret and can do nothing about it!" his tone arose as he gave in to his wrathful outburst. "I can't think clearly when I know that everytime I try to reach them, I end up _Empty Handed_!" he yelled that last part of his sentence and hit the door with his OmniWrench so hard that tiny shards of pitch black scattered on the ground.

Clank and Loric remained silent and just stared at the broken Lombax as he surrendered to rage. He struck the door one more time and thereafter, shut his eyes in defeat. He breathed in deeply and sighed sorrowfully as he allowed his muscles to relax and loosened his grip on his trademark weapon.

"I am sorry, Ratchet" he heard Clank say and his striped ears instantly dropped.

The starlight kept on deluging the dark hall, the shine of the tiny dots of the sky falling on Kaden's son and whispering canticles of hopelessness and disappointment. _'Empty Handed'_ , his own yell echoed in his ears. He didn't dare open his eyes and see that cruel, back gate that was sealing him out of the secret. He didn't want to face the gate which reminded him that even if he had Clank, a part of him felt alone. The last of his kind. Forgotten by his own people. How could they? Why? ' _How do I escape this?_ '

Even with his eyes closed he could feel the gate's mocking presence, and the fact that a mere object which possessed no mind or soul could belittle him in such a manner inflicted him with a growing sense of humiliation. In an attempt to gain the upper hand over it, Ratchet opened his viridescent orbs only to have his gaze fall on the pieces of pitch-black smithereens just in front of the obsidian door's surface. And this was when failure ceased overshadowing his perception; his vision travelled among the carved, parallel and straight lines that formed flawless squares on the tiled floor he was standing on. However, four of these lines that surrounded another perfect square gave the impression of having too much dust and trails of soil filling them. Ratchet voicelessly asked himself if this could mean anything, mostly wondering how Clank had failed to notice this small yet distinctive characteristic of this section of the floor. Usually he was the one pointing out the slightest details of whatever they were testing. With the faintest glimmer of hope, he knelt near the spot in question and remarked it rather inquisitively.

"What, did you… did you find anything" Loric spoke hesitantly, a quite unusual behaviour for him. Having the advantage of height, he espied what Ratchet was examining while Clank moved closer to the spot that caused an uncommon interest to the Lombax.

Pale green light illuminated the square as Clank walked closer to it. "This slab appears to be moveable."

Ratchet was quick in checking the piece of concrete substance with his hand and after applying pressure on it, he saw it lower and retract itself to be hidden beneath the solid piece next to it. The three of them detected a switch which, once unfolded, could only guide Loric to the conclusion that the key inside the room and probably to Kaden's Armor was finally under their possession.

Ratchet held the switch steadily as confidence showed on his face and threw it boldly.

The gate began moving and slowly allowed entrance to the long forgotten secret. Ratchet thought his heart had stopped beating for everything around him froze. He stepped a little farther from the now welcoming gate, feeling warmth within as he had finally approached the remnant of his father's past. Thinking he shouldn't have overreacted like he did earlier, he kept reminding himself to apologise to Clank after retrieving the Armor while he saw the door slide open. Once the process of revealing was completed, everyone walked inside to sight the artifact with their breaths stolen. And there lay the gift of the Keeper.

Kaden's Armor…

It was entirely silver, ornamented with beautiful, curved lines that were engraved on the pure alloy and graced with a lucent ruby right below the area of neck. A pair of gloves appeared where the hands should be, made of a hard, dark grey material in order to serve as a protection means and in a few parts they were enshrouded by a unique fabric that resembled a cambric. It was supported by an auxiliary but barely visible construction so as to be properly exhibited on the marble pedestal.

The treacherous trembling returned and Ratchet's eyes welled up, emeralds shimmering under the threat of tears falling. He didn't permit himself to shed any tears though. A hero had to be collected. _His father_ would want him to be collected.

"Look at it, Clank. It's… awesome" he managed to speak with a stuttering voice.

"I agree. It is magnificent" the robot said in accordance.

"By all suns of the Universe. It's truly extraordinary" Loric exclaimed stunned. He soon observed there was another object on the pedestal apart from the armor. "It looks like you'll be getting more than one gift tonight."

Clank shortly understood what Loric meant by that. "It is an old voice recorder" he informed after he examined the object.

"Wait. You mean…" Ratchet began but faltered.

Loric nodded, indicating that Ratchet's thought had been correct. "He has a message for you."

Ratchet instantly felt his stomach knotted, cold sweat making his fur dump. It was like with the push of a button, his father would temporarily come to life to greet his unfairly lost son. His childish side believed that Kaden would magically appear and embrace him, talk to him and then sadly leave. His voice. He'd get to hear his voice. That was something inconceivably beautiful to Ratchet.

"Do you want only Clank to remain in the chamber? Do you want us both out? Or…" Loric empathised with the young hero perhaps for the first time so openly ever since they met.

"No" Ratchet managed to reply warm-heartedly, despite his unshed tears clogging his throat. "You can stay."

Many seconds invaded Azalea and relinquished it elusively, yet they felt like centuries. ' _No more running away.'_ No more. Ratchet sighed and slowly, almost involuntarily, pressed the Play button.

Everyone waited impatiently as the cassette's tape in the recorder reeled. And then…

" _My son. If you are listening to this, then I'm probably gone. I wish you don't have to listen to this. I wish… I wish I'm lucky enough to raise you and tell you myself when you come of age._ "

"Father…" Ratchet muttered, his battle against his tears now becoming extremely hard. His voice. How amazing it was to escape the total unawareness about at least this aspect of his father's identity and be blessed enough to at least know how he sounded like.

" _It pains me to say your mother's not here with me. I lost her. But I will not lose you. I won't-_ " Kaden's voice was shaking and he cut his sentence probably to compose himself and refrain from sobbing.

" _It might be a misfortune to listen to this but it's also a blessing that you're alive to find the Armor. I know what you may be thinking. Why were you left behind? Why did I abandon you? Why did I leave you on Veldin when you could follow the rest of the Lombaxes into the new dimension and live in peace, though without me? Tachyon…_ " Kaden now gave up on fear and allowed hatred to take over.

" _That treacherous bastard. He ruined everything. He destroyed our lives. My son, my dear son. I must lay a heavy burden on you. I remained here to guard the Dimensionator but I can't be sure that I'll survive for long. If I haven't come back to you, then it means I'm done for. What you have to do is protect the Dimensionator_ at all costs _and hide from Tachyon. If you're here, the Grey Mages have found you. Go to Master Orion. Let him help you find Alister Azimuth and that girl that was accidentally forsaken. If Tachyon hunts you down, find the Dimensionator and destroy it. I've left artifacts behind to lead you to its location._ "

Ratchet remembered the famous 'Lombax Secret' that made Tachyon so obsessed and left Talwyn orphaned. If only his father could know, he went through this path a long time ago.

" _It's only us now. Stay strong, be safe and be the reminder the Universe needs. Your presence will let everyone know that once a race that freed Polaris existed. The Lombaxes. This Armor is a gift that I hope will give you the strength you need. I know you won't let me down. You never could. I know my actions hurt you. You might not realise it but, son, I lov-_ "

" _Well, well. Look whom I ran across. The Keeper_ " a second voice unexpectedly intervened. Ratchet and Clank recognised that voice, their widening their eyes in sheer shock was the living proof of it.

" _Step away, Tachyon. You've caused enough terror already_ " Kaden bravely stood his ground, though he sounded horrified.

" _Look at you, you worthless scum. Battered, wounded. You might have survived from our last battle but now, I'm in the pleasant position to inform you your luck has run out._ ". There was a short pause before the tyrant spoke again. " _What is this? Saying goodbye to your pitiful son? I will find him. Even if it takes me years, I WILL find him_ ". The sound of metallic feet approaching could be heard while Tachyon's throne walked towards Kaden.

Ratchet was visibly shaking in anger. "You useless piece of-"

" _You will NOT touch him!_ "

" _Don't worry, I won't kill him. If he's young enough when I find him, I'll tell him what your filthy kind did to the Cragmites and I'll teach him how to kill. And he will kill for me only to find the Dimensionator and bring back the Cragmites._ "

" _You'll never find him or the Dimensionator._ "

" _Too bad you won't be alive to see how wrong you are. Hmm now that I think of it, I might consider sparing you if you agree to kneel before your emperor_ " Tachyon commanded and then laughed viciously.

Kaden's unstable breathing could be clearly heard. Ratchet could tell he was fighting back sobs. " _Lombaxes never kneel._ "

The next noises that the recorder produced were some choked screams. Flesh being torn and then a loud thud. The recording ended as a button being casually pressed was heard.

 **~ End of Part I: Illumination ~**

* * *

 **A/N: I always, _always_ wondered why Kaden didn't give Ratchet to the other Lombaxes so he could be raised in the other dimension, safe and with his own kind. I mean, he didn't have a reason to put his own child in danger by taking him with him, or at least we're never shown a legitimate reason in the games. So I tried to come up with a theory. Maybe he was told to leave Ratchet there by Orvus so he and Clank could meet but this sounds kinda cheesy in my opinion, two fathers planning to have their sons meet. Nah-uh. So that's what I found possible. I know my theory has some plotholes but let's face it, the canon storyline itself has some plotholes.**

 **As you might have guessed, the next chapter is also the beginning of _Part II_.**

 **Thank you for reading, until next time!**


	9. False Natures

**A/N: Hello and Happy New Year. I'm sorry for the unforgivable delay, I promise I won't give up on the story. Edits and rewrites take time. I hope you haven't given up on it, even if I suck at my update schedule.**

 **Thank you everybody for the kind and encouraging reviews as well as for favouriting and/or following my story. I'm not gonna mention the names of my readers in every chapter from now on as it's a bit tedious but don't worry I know who you are (including Guests) and I am grateful for the interest you show. Besides I do send PMs to thank readers so you know that I know who you are!**

 **Okay, you see the phrase Adventure/Fantasy right above this message? It says Adventure/ Fantasy. And I know fantasy is not supposed to be present in a science fiction story but I'm writing fanfiction, not the official plot of the next game. So please if you don't like fantasy in a R&C fanfic refrain from complaining, there will be quite some of it in the entire Part. Just a warning to be on the safe side.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own any characters related to the Ratchet  & Clank franchise. I own Loric Ellebor, the Unseen Destroyer and the Grey Mages in general.**

 **Big, special thanks to NightwingNinja17 for beta-reading and being willing to help as always. And thank you Flowerstar for pointing out the punctuation mistake.**

 **I hope this chapter compensates you for the long wait!**

* * *

 **~ Part II: Storm ~**

 **Chapter 8: False Natures**

"This is outrageous! It's so… so… Ugh!" Loric paced back and forth into the shadows cast in the chamber despite the faded presence of starlight invading through small crevices while drinking all the water he had stored that was supposed to help him remain immune to nausea. He did wish he could have some grog or anything related to it. "At least he's dead. He was a waste of flesh. In fact, he's the definition of 'waste'."

Ratchet had been silent all along. He had sat down with his back against a wall, feeling like he was carrying a dead weight. Powerless, helpless, bound to his weakened state that was reflected through his silence. Breathing seemed like a deed for his sorrow was so immense he believed he would have to crawl back to his ship due to his frailty. A fatigue he couldn't even sense a while ago overpowered him now and hope had turned into nothing but ash within him. The excitement that was gleaming into two green orbs extinguished the moment the Cragmite's voice filled the air and rudely invaded his ears. He didn't move, didn't take his eyes away from his feet, didn't speak and didn't listen. He had been a wreck for Orvus knew how long.

Clank was beside him the entire time, his hand gently laid on his hurt friend's arm. "Ratchet please, say something. Anything" he spoke in such a silent and uncertain tone, something that didn't characterise him.

As much as it pained him to hear his friend talk to him in such sadness, Ratchet couldn't find the strength to utter a single word. He was a captive to stillness, his sorrowful gaze never leaving the ground. Clank narrowed his optic lids and he slowly bowed his head. Whatever had taken over Ratchet soon found a way to extend its effect on Clank, seemingly causing the electricity in his circuitry to flow irregularly. Clank identified this immobilising feeling as either insecurity or grief. Whatever it was, he wanted it away from him and his friend.

"That soulless, arrogant prick!" Loric couldn't help but act nervously as he went on with his unending pacing. With an abrupt movement he overturned his bottle and allowed the cool water to soak his palm before applying it on his forehead. "Listen, Ratchet. All is good. I mean you killed him, right? He got what he deserved, he had it coming. You don't have to talk, I don't blame you. Just please try to get up so we can get going. Master Orion is waiting."

There was no reaction whatsoever from Ratchet, as if Loric had merely produced a whisper that failed to reach his faint perception. The Grey Mage sighed after he finally stopped his frantic pacing and allowed his body to abandon the intense motion. He walked next to Ratchet and leaned against the wall, though he remained stood up unlike his Lombax acquaintance.

"I won't lie; I have no idea how much pain you're in right now. I was lucky enough to live with my parents so I can't possibly know how you feel. All I see is that it's unbearable. No one deserves this. And I'm very sorry, I really am" Loric spoke in an endeavour to sound compassionate, as alienated with this practice as he had grown throughout the rough years of his youth.

There were some minutes of absolute silence and apart from the starborn light which fell on the set of silver armor which proudly challenged the luminous rays and prevailed in the shadows, everything else was rendered limited to the indifferent passing of time through seconds. During that time, Ratchet felt the air become stifling. The knowledge that was forced into his mind had deprived him of all his will to go on. He could only think it was unbearable to be aware of Kaden's suffering. His screams, his suppressed screams of pain. They couldn't leave Ratchet's mind. They were imprinted in his memories and the unfortunate message wasn't about to leave Ratchet's mind anytime soon.

He moved for the first time after the end of the recording only to clench his head in despair. The screams. His distressed father's screams. Tachyon's hateful voice. They paralysed him, made him sink deeper into insanity and hopelessness. It was a horrifying experience he wouldn't think he would manage to get over. He sought relief through the air filling his lungs as he took deep breaths but the lightheadedness that consumed him proved to be more powerful. He yearned to scream and shout until his chest burned. This was so unfair, so unbearably unfair.

An aggressive impulse led to a fierce movement as Ratchet stood up and headed for the pedestal hastily. Without granting Clank and Loric any chances to react to his sudden transition from defeat to furious retaliation, he grabbed the small device and smashed it to the ground with force, regret and hesitation absent from his eyes as rage guided his hand. He violently stepped on it in order to make it break, hoping to break the painful memory into pieces just like he did with the tape recorder. He forced the sole of his boot on the object a few more times until it was nothing but scraps of old plastic and metal. He finally stopped and panted, and the silence that started overtaking the room made him realise that regardless of the shattered pieces beneath his feet, the memory was still there. Although he had believed it to be the cure, the healing was far away from his reach, and upon realizing this he lowered his head and shut his fern-green eyes, surrendering to the clasp of disappointment.

"Well, that does it" Loric shrugged, trying to chase the silence away as he believed it to have a disheartening effect on Ratchet. However, silence was the closest thing to solace for the young Lombax at that moment. "I asked too much from you. Look, you… You can return to Polaris if you want to" he voiced his thoughts in remorse.

"I'm not going back" Ratchet muttered in boiling rage, a curse that fell on him a while ago and didn't seem ready to leave him anytime soon.

"This is not right, Ratchet. Kaden did not record the message here, so this means he was not the one to bring the voice recorder in the chamber" Clank hesitated at first but afterwards, he found the will to go on. "It could be no one else but Tachyon. Whatever lies ahead, he wants you to follow it. I believe he found a way to deliberately lead you here, so you could listen to the recorded message. He is provoking you. If you decide to go on, you are also deciding to be part of his game."

Ratchet didn't say anything as a response. His wrathful gaze fell on the sparkling armor. A rejuvenating inhale caused his chest to rise, his expression remaining unchanged in the meantime. "Wait for me outside" his decision had already been made.

"I am afraid Tachyon planned to cause terror even in the case of his fall. I do not think this is going to end well" his friend warned in concern.

"I made my decision, Clank. Wait outside, please" Ratchet spoke in a stern manner, emerald eyes looking at the robot bitterly. Clank took a step back with his metallic mouth agape, almost failing to comprehend his friend's stream of thoughts. His optical lenses formed a look of worry as the thought that only devastation lay ahead made his gears whirr faster.

"Come on" Loric urged and walked out of the chamber as he had been ordered. Clank was more disinclined to do so, but then he fought against the warnings his CPU produced and took a couple of hesitant steps backwards before finally leaving as well.

After ascertaining himself he was the only sentient being in the room, Ratchet turned around to face the revered Kaden's Armor. His struggle against his tears returned and his whole body tensed up as he felt his fur stand up like tiny, sharp spikes. He had expected to feel joy and triumph the moment he found the object of his heritage but instead, he felt angry and desolate. _Empty handed_. His father's words were repeated in his mind. " _Be the reminder the Universe needs. Your presence will let everyone know that once a race that freed Polaris existed. The Lombaxes._ " His sorrowful look changed as his perseverance grew. He approached the pedestal and finally took a good hold of the armor. He admired its beauty and assessed its defense capability. With a first glance, it looked quite protective. " _This Armor is a gift that I hope will give you the strength you need_."

Five minutes passed beneath nacreous clouds of the midnight blue sky of Azalea and Loric along with Clank had spent that time admiring the fertile soil of the planet and the deep violet lines the multiple starts created in the infinite reign of dark blue. The two of them saw Ratchet head outside of the building to meet them, equipped with his new armor while carrying his old one. The armor shone gracefully with every movement as the iridescent metal came in contact with the radiance of the stars, the ruby and the lines on the silver illuminated by heavenly white light. A resolute look made Ratchet's features bold, his march unstoppable and his expression devoid of any doubt, hell-bent on fulfilling his father's wish. As luck had finally showed up for the plains were free of Irdvargs, Clank and Loric followed him to their common destination; Aphelion.

The three of them were soon inside the starship, with the objecting of arriving at Loric's homeworld. "Where are we going?" Ratchet inquired of Loric.

"Planet Silthrin."

He steered the wheel as Aphelion lifted off the green ground with the purpose to land on the home of the Grey Mages. "Coordinates acquired" she pronounced with a toneless voice.

"It's not going to take us long to get there, right?" Loric asked the ship with ill-concealed nervousness. "I kind of ran out of water."

"ETA: twenty minutes" Aphelion responded. "And you should know that flying with the likelihood of my interior being covered with organic food effluent all the time is luring me to activate my ejector seats."

Loric's blue eyes widened in incredulity as his opened mouth betrayed his astonishment. "Wh- what?! Ratchet, did your ship just tell me that she'll throw me out if I feel nauseous?"

"Actually, she said she'll throw you out if you dare to even _think_ of feeling nauseous" he interpreted the threat with a smile, feeling glad this lighthearted conversation was somewhat distracting him from his grim thoughts. Clank let out one of his characteristic laughs as a reaction to Aphelion's teasing that targeted Loric.

"Like I said earlier, technology is so overrated" Loric groused only to be momentarily shaken off his seat because of a jerky movement beneath his posterior. He was quick at glaring at Ratchet.

"I didn't do anything" he nonchalantly replied, his gaze fixated on the starry horizon.

Finding it futile to try and argue his point of view, Loric decided to subdue his urge to explain why technology was so overrated and limited his payback to only a sigh and a roll of his eyes. ' _There's no place like home_.'

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

Silthrin appeared to be a scenery which had been fabricated by the essence of all melancholic memories. Mist covered everything with its misleading cloak and the sky above was chained to the colour cinereal. The planet was empty of anything related to life; trees, plants, local wildlife. A few counterfeit trees made of stone and some statues of past leaders of Loric's brotherhood wistfully smiling could be seen around the area.

It was the regime of stone and tragedy.

Loric allowed a content smile to soften his features as he contemplated the familiar lands and became swept away by a nostalgic wave. "At last. Home sweet home."

"And I found Veldin depressing back in the day" Ratchet murmured as he tilted closer to Clank in order to avoid the Mage's sneaking mood.

Clank himself was putting a lot of effort to distinguish whatever might be surrounding him due to the thick fog, in spite of his naturally flawless vision. "To be honest, it is a rather daunting place to permanently reside in."

"You really think so?" Loric queried with a look that signified he felt quite surprised. "Imagine if you came here during winter. Anyway, let's just move on."

The mist made the navigation through the area extremely hard. Ratchet only managed to keep up with Clank thanks to the continuous green glow emitted by the robot's eyes. After some minutes of roaming Clank stopped, which caused Ratchet to stumble into him and nearly lose his balance.

"I do not pick up signs of Loric's presence" he stated with concern.

"You're kidding, right?" Ratchet asked in apprehension, a grievous suspicion on his mind.

"I know when it is a good time to joke, Ratchet, and this is definitely no such time" Clank answered irked.

"Great! He left! He's off to find his fellows for who knows what reason" Ratchet ranted.

"I believe you are wrong to accuse him. Loric would never abandon us like this. Perhaps he got lost himself due to the mist" Clank attempted to explain the reason behind the strange occurrence.

"Lost on his own planet? He left us on purpose, Clank" Ratchet claimed, fearing there was a wicked intent behind Loric's actions.

"I am afraid you have forgotten that Kaden himself told you to trust the Grey Mages. Loric does not mean to harm us, I am sure of it" Clank rebuffed.

"I wouldn't be so sure. He's been acting according to his own motives ever since we met him on Igliak" Ratchet argued once again but the mention of his father's directions soon caught up with the rising suspicion that raced through his words. "I just hope you're right" he eventually said with a sigh for he found this to be a valid argument.

However, the ever-growing suspicion about Loric's sudden disappearance was far from diminished. Mistrust about Loric's incentives groveled in his mind and his glances became swift and alert. Loric had his own agenda from the very moment he introduced himself to them. Ratchet thought it could be more than just possible that he pretended to care about their wellbeing all along. They were on his lands now and whatever his true intentions were, they would be disclosed right then and there. Deciding to be ten times more cautious than usual, he ensured Clank was near him and tightened his grip on his OmniWrench while he searched around for a sign that could indicate they were on the right track, though his ability to see was greatly limited. On the right track to where, though? Ratchet didn't have the slightest idea about where they were supposed to go. He only hoped that Master Orion held the answer of defeating the Unseen Destroyer once and for all and that his journey hadn't been in vain.

After examining his environment with squinting eyes, Ratchet managed to discern something in the distance. There was a black shadow rising beyond the haze. "Look. Something's over there" he pointed with his index finger.

"It looks like some sort of cave. Let us go in. The mist will not be present once inside" Clank suggested and Ratchet's silence confirmed his agreement. The two heroes headed inside the cave with dilatory steps and, as always, Clank had been right; the haze was no longer present.

Ratchet felt gratitude once his ability of unobstructed vision returned to him and he wandered through the tunnel with uncommon attention along with Clank. Meanwhile he paid heed to the cave's rough surfaces that were partly covered with dirt and from time to time tiny, light-blue orbs appeared on the walls alongside them, enlightening the road to the end of the tunnel. The scent of mold invaded the Lombax's nostrils and Ratchet caught himself voicelessly complaining about the unpleasant smell.

Not long after, another kind of light appeared before them; the light of sunrays hindered by dark grey clouds. Ratchet and Clank eventually found their way out of the tunnel. They expected thick mist to cover the land again but instead, the atmosphere was released from the relentless grasp of the fog's blinding cloak and they could see everything with clarity. However, the end of their cavern march didn't find them alone. Many men were waiting for them, their attire similar to Loric's, their appearance akin save the colour of their hair and eyes which varied, the objects they held sceptres of many different forms.

The two outlanders stood still in alertness, their restless eyes observing the peculiar men anxiously.

"Do not be alarmed" one of them with hair platinum and eyes with yellow irises walked forward to attract the attention of their visitors. "Ellebor informed us of your arrival. We're the Grey Mages. Master Orion is expecting you."

 _Loric ceased walking even though his two companions continued to march forward. It was time to go to the meeting point and prepare his brothers. The last thing he heard before leaving his co-travelers into the mist's dominance was Clank notifying Ratchet of his own absence._

 _Loric reached a seemingly deserted plaza, fallen stone leaves of the phony trees decorating the ground beneath his feet. On the centre of it he found his brothers standing around the enormous statue of the deceased Master Aanwathir. Knelt right in front of it as an act of worship was the man Loric was looking for._

 _"Master Orion" he called upon and bowed to show his respect to the brotherhood's leader. "I'm sorry to disturb you while you pay tribute to an Astral One but it's very important."_

 _Many Mages had already gathered around him with smiles and welcoming words to greet their returned brother. Orion though remained still in his stance of orison, totally unperturbed. Loric went on to explain the reason why he was interrupting his leader._

 _"The Son of the Stars has come" he declared humbly, though pride grew strong in him._

 _Everyone suddenly desisted from talking as though they had their voices stolen from some kind of unworldly entity. Orion himself opened his purple eyes, astounded by the news. He turned his head to his right to face Loric. "You- You found him?" he asked with eyes filled with disbelief._

 _"Certainly, master. But there's more. I also found a Zoni. He's here too" Loric announced, his tone somewhat conceited._

 _Master Orion stood up in stunning shock. "I can't believe it. The Astral Ones heard our prayers. With the heir of Kaden's Armor and a Zoni I could get rid of the Unseen Destroyer and his wicked minions_ and _conquer a planet if I wished to" he mused in utter thrill and laughed. The memory of a kind-hearted Lombax he had met many years ago flashed vividly through his mind. Sadly he had forgotten what he looked like but he surely hadn't forgotten of his deeds. So much help he had offered. So great had Orion's gratitude been that he had offered him one of the finest pieces of armor. He even named it after him to honour the young outsider and praise his valor._

 _"They're crossing the Ancestral Caves as we speak. Should we escort them here?" Loric's direct question made Orion's thoughts about the days of his past drift away._

 _"Yes, some of you bring them to the Monument Square. I'd like to welcome them myself. But you stay here, Loric. You must be tired from you long journey" he ordered. Loric bowed once again and allowed his thoughts to rest as he witnessed his brothers be engulfed by the mist._

Ratchet couldn't hide his distrust. The unnerving thought that Loric had abandoned them to the hands of something nasty settled more and more within him. Shortly, his father's words shadowed a great part of his doubts. Though still somewhat uncertain, he decided to cooperate. With a nod, he gave them permission to take him and Clank to their leader.

The Grey Mages moved forth while Ratchet and Clank followed from behind. But something still pestered the young Lombax. He couldn't know if he should call it a hunch or a tendency of having an overall hard time believing not everyone out there was interested in the bounty put upon his head, but it was as if he knew this wouldn't end up well.

"Are you sure we'll be fine? I still have a feeling something's not right" Ratchet confided his thoughts to his friend.

"Remember your father's words, Ratchet. He would never instruct you to dive into danger, would he?" Clank reminded his anxious friend for the second time. His voice conveyed confidence and all Ratchet needed was a spark of certainty to ignite his typical, fiery determination.

"You know what, you're right. I've been worrying too much lately" he admitted in a forlorn attempt to convince himself that there was no practical reason to be this concerned. "After all, you're always right."

"It was about time you realised. Though I fear it will not make much difference in the future" Clank voiced his own thoughts.

Ratchet grinned at his friend's words. "You know me too well" he silently rustled so as not to be heard by the robot. Clank had heard him though.

Subsequently, they found themselves in the Monument Square which was still under the dominion of mist unlike the terrain at the end of the tunnel. Statues could be seen on certain spots. They looked as if they were dancing, expressing themselves free of embarrassment due to the veiled vision the haze offered. Ratchet stepped onto the graveled plaza, his eyes full of curiosity but also signifying his reservedness. Before him stood a man, his face wrinkled apparently due to old age, his hair reaching his shoulders, pitch-black and eyes purple and penetrating as though he could summon spirits with his gaze. Loric was standing right next to the man and Ratchet was tempted to send him a cold stare for leaving him and Clank alone earlier but managed to resist. He couldn't help staring at the grandiose statue behind him for countless seconds.

"Where's the Zoni, Loric?" Master Orion asked as quietly as he could in order not to be heard by his visitors, a pair of amethysts exploring the two outlanders with an openly revealed yearning to know more about them.

"It's him, master. The robot" Loric tried to justify in a desperate effort to live up to what he had stated earlier and keep the master's delectation alive.

Orion's expression told him he was failing tremendously. "Not a promising start. At least Kaden's son is here" he confirmed Loric's fear that he hadn't been convinced.

His attention remained on the two heroes as soon as they were near Aanwathir's statue. A warm smile appeared on his face. He recognised the armor the youngster before him was equipped with. "You can't imagine how long I've been anticipating your arrival" Orion confessed to Ratchet though he was planning to throw a final test on him. "It is good to see you. I'm Orion, the leader of our brotherhood. Please, tell me your name."

Orion's cordial welcoming somewhat tamed the wild, bewildering hurricane that had been plaguing Ratchet's core for relief cascaded down on his mind and washed away disturbing thoughts. A soft smile appeared on his face and in his two bright emeralds shone the hope of defeating the Unseen Destroyer and learning more about his father. If there was a key to the precious answers he longed for, it lay within Orion. Filled with contentedness that Clank was always right, he let his thrill show in his expression and revealed his name like he had been asked.

The curve on Orion's face faded as he ceased smiling. Ratchet didn't interpret this as a bad sign, he only drew the conclusion it was a subconsciously driven movement to relax his face muscles. Orion didn't speak for several seconds and during those seconds his expression was becoming bolder and bolder, cold as the stone around them. Ratchet wondered what was transpiring in the leader's mind but it didn't take long to receive his answer.

"Seize them!"

Ratchet and Clank were instantly captured, immobilised as a bronze shackle with a line of neon turquoise constricted their wrists, compressed tightly around them. Ratchet was also deprived of his OmniWrench as a Grey Mage grabbed it in order to render him unarmed.

"What are you doing?!" Loric asked, pure astonishment perplexing him.

"You're an idiot, Loric!" Orion barked. "Look what you've done! You just handed Kaden's Armor to a thief. I bet he's here to learn all of my secrets and then deliver our planet to the Unseen Destroyer" he broke out in serious displeasure.

"Not even half of what you're saying is true. I _am_ Kaden's son" Ratchet raged while he struggled to get free of his bonds, sharp movements betraying the fear he was striving to conceal and his will to defend himself and Clank.

Orion abruptly turned to face him. "Kaden _himself_ told me his son's name and it was definitely NOT Ratchet!" he snapped at his captive, stepping closer and closer to him in a threatening manner.

Ratchet widened his eyes as shock penetrated his entire body. His struggling ceased, making the task of the Mages much easier. "You know my true name?" he stammered, his fiery belligerence now completely forsaking him to the mercy of an adamant master.

Loric stared at him in uneasiness. "You mean… Your name's not Ratchet? Then what is it?" he questioned fiercely.

"I… I don't know" Ratchet shook his head and stated bitterly.

Pain pierced through his chest as a truth he had been avoiding proved to be his reality; Tachyon had been honest during his last moments before he fell deep into the black hole. A mighty disillusionment clenched his initial confidence and declared its presence through saturnine eyes and rounded shoulders. Burdened with the realisation that Tachyon's maliciousness had managed to live on, he stared at the stony ground of the Monument Square to avoid Orion's stern look.

"Good try but I'm no fool" Orion snarled before pointing at Clank with his anger ferociously unleashed. "And this is not a Zoni. Your improvidence shall be the end of you."

Clank was staring at the wrathful master sorrowfully. Even he couldn't be able to predict such an outcome. "We can explain, sir" he kindly stated with a silent will to reconcile echoing in his voice.

"Silence, you walking scrap of metal! You must be programmed to lie" Orion's loud voice violently harassed the atmosphere.

"Don't talk to him like that!" Ratchet fumed while his anger slipped out of his controlling restrains.

"You will be punished. All three of you. Brothers, seize Loric Ellebor. He's accused of treachery" Orion declared.

All eyes were set upon him and the unexpected inaction drove the leader to the brink of restiveness. "You've gone mad, Orion. Loric's our brother, a fellow Grey Mage. I'm sure he didn't mean to-" one of the mages that witnessed the scene protested, representing the entire mass.

"Are you defying my order? He's been denounced. He's not worthy of the title" Orion thundered.

The rebellious Grey Mage stared at Loric who seemed to be sunk in bitter realisation as he spoke. "Denounced? B-but I did as you asked. I grew up defending our kind! You can't do this to me, master."

"I am your leader. I'll do anything for the protection of our ways, send you to your doom if need be" Orion snapped, smothering his fellow brother's chance to fight for everything he had managed to build so far. With reluctance, Loric let defeat settle within with a shameful stare fixated on the ground and Orion's demand was eventually fulfilled.

"Loric Ellebor, pretentious _'Zoni'_ " Orion began, his fingers of each hand drawing quotation marks mockingly in the air. "and _Ratchet_. You're charged with treason, insolence and thievery respectively and, in accordance with our ways, are thus condemned to be brought to justice by enduring the Trial of the Sovereign."

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 **A/N: 2016 is finally here and it looks like it's gonna be the "Year of the Lombax"! I just can't wait for the novel, PS4 game and movie. Let the greatness begin!**

 **Thank you for reading, until next time!**


	10. To Elude Damnation

**A/N: Yes, I'm still around! I'm terribly sorry for my long delay. Went through a really tough semester, exams followed and my schedule still remains quite hectic unfortunately. Plus I ended up editing almost the entire chapter, added a lot of extra dialogue and new scenes. This must be the most difficult chapter I've written in my entire life! Seriously, it gave me a really hard time but was a blast writing it as well. It's 11,735 words long so I hope it makes up for my absence.**

 **Thank you everybody for the reviews and the follow, the support you show truly helps me!** **And wouldn't you know, there's a Vullard named Orion in ACiT! I… honestly had no idea! :P**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ratchet, Clank or any character related to the franchise. I own Loric Ellebor, Master Orion, the Grey Mages and the Unseen Destroyer.**

 **I hope you find the new chapter enjoyable. On with the Trial of the Sovereign!**

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 **Chapter 9: To Elude Damnation**

Loric Ellebor woke up freezing and starving in a confinement cell. He opened his eyes to face the ceiling, the ground he was laying on cold. How many hours had passed? How long had he been sleeping? Despite the long hours of unconsciousness he wasn't feeling rested at all. He moaned in exhaustion as he stood up drowsily and explored the room with darting eyes. The realisation that he was all alone made him feel colder than a frosty wind would and the fact that his staff was missing almost made him believe he had become victim of a mirage when he had spotted it next to him before his eyelids became too heavy. He recalled anguished moments of his own brothers binding him, the man he had been loyal to for his entire life calling him a traitor.

He shut his eyes to evade the growing sense of being betrayed. "I'm devoted to the Brotherhood. It's him, it's certainly him. He's the right Lombax" he spoke to himself with a palm pressing a nearby wall to support his weight, the past events clouding his mind and filling him with bitterness.

In a fit of indignation, he banged at the sealed door and yelled with all of his might. "I don't deserve such disgrace!" However, his strife sank to the depths of pointlessness. He couldn't change things and intervene in this sequence of misfortune that had befallen him, Ratchet and Clank. Was he forced to follow the path Orion had forged for him with his decision?

"The Unseen Destroyer will catch up with us sooner or later" his thought echoed in his words. "I can't stay here" he decided to neglect everything he had been taught so far, something that seemed relatively easy under these adverse circumstances.

Bestowed with the virtue of patience, Loric waited for someone to enter the cell that separated him from the soothing mist of Silthrin to offer him some food. Being knowledgeable of the customs his _prudent_ leader wanted to preserve, he was certain Orion would show just enough generosity to keep Loric standing until the Trial of the Sovereign.

His reasoning had been correct for he soon heard the door being unlocked. Loric stood right next to it so as to be hidden by its wide, rough surface as soon as it opened. The door budged and a Grey Mage advanced inside the cell. His gaze became troubled while he searched for the prisoner anxiously. Loric moved out of his hiding spot provided by the door consisted of bricks and sneaked behind the one sent by his master. He quietly walked out of the cell, almost tiptoeing, and pulled the door shut without looking behind him apprehensive about the sight of treachery he was creating. He hastily turned the key which was placed in the keyhole and retracted it. Violent beating on the door could be heard from the other side.

"I'm sorry brother, but I have no choice. I have to defend my honour" he explained, though he wasn't certain if the now imprisoned sorcerer had heard him. With a final glance at his former cage, he rushed out with the goal to release the two unjustifiably convicted outsiders.

The communal warehouse wasn't far from his current location and Loric stepped into the ethereal white veil that blanketed the planet, bent on reaching it fast. Once there, he retrieved his staff and also observed that an entire arsenal of nuclear, electrical and other kind of weapons had been stored there. ' _Ratchet's equipment. I must lead him here as soon as I find him_ ', he developed a plan in his mind.

He moved to the case where all keys were kept and stared at the small, metallic objects curiously. "Which cells are you two in?" he whispered, wondering if there was a way to know which keys he should pick up. Of course he had the option to collect all keys and search each cell individually but this would be too time-consuming and Loric had to act quickly to release Ratchet and Clank from Orion's menacing grasp.

He closed his eyes and concentrated. He brought the picture of the key case in his mind, trying keenly to bring it vividly before him as though he had his eyes wide open. In a slow manner and with an ever so purposeful force, a constant buzz penetrated his ears while he summoned the spiritual strength within him to obey him and do his bidding. His eyelids trembled, his breathing so meager it felt like no oxygen filled his lungs. He already began feeling weakened but he couldn't cease his effort. He had to try harder. A little longer. And longer. Shortly, an image of a Grey Mage disposing two particular keys flashed before his vision momentarily but vividly, colours scintillating and ascendant over the space of blackness.

He opened his ocean-blue eyes instantly. "Fourteen. Twenty" he murmured and fixed his gaze on the key case. "Key fourteen and key twenty" he confirmed his vision as he selected the keys labeled with the aforementioned numbers. After gripping the objects that would grant him access to where his friends were trapped in, he set off to find the respective cells.

Cell Fourteen was the one closest to him so Loric headed there first. He couldn't know whom he would come across there for the concise vision didn't disclose which cell each of his companions was held in. All he could do was continue his effort with once again patience as his trustful guide so as to find out. His thoughts didn't distract him for long for he reached the cell in less than two minutes. Standing in front of the door this time made of copper red metal, the one declared as traitor grabbed the key with the label 'Fourteen' hanging from it and decisively turned it in the door's keyhole.

The moment the surface that impeded him from reaching his ally retracted, Loric walked inside and observed the prisoner, who heard the commotion and wearily lifted his head to face the intruder. Loric narrowed his eyes so as to refrain from wincing. His acquaintance seemed quite beaten up. "You seem like you've seen better days."

Ratchet would never directly admit Loric was right, no matter how true his observation had been. "Well, I've seen worse too."

He was bound to a mechanical system that ended up in chains which restrained him and limited his ability to move by wrapping his arms, adjusted so as to be taut, hence eliminating all possibilities of a potential escape. He looked languished and a few scratches ran across his furry face.

"Really? I don't want to know more" Loric spoke and quickly made his way to the device behind Ratchet to begin working on it. "What happened to you?" he asked as concern reverberated in his voice.

"Let's just say I wasn't really glad to see that machine" Ratchet spoke in a cunning manner.

"So you tried to resist" Loric conjectured, figuring out what had transpired while letting his fingertips trail on the small switches of the contraption. "Son of the Stars, you never learn."

"I told you, don't call me by cheesy titles!" the Grey Mage heard his imprisoned friend complain.

"And how should I call you?! You don't know your own name! I lost my dignity because of that!" Loric stormed, his task forgotten as he glared at Ratchet. "I've been branded a traitor" he mentioned, the realisation of his sorry state hitting him hard no matter how many times he went through this ordeal.

Ratchet stared back at him with regretful eyes. There were no words to describe how much he was plagued by remorse. All these endless hours he had been lost in thoughts as the chains around his arms made the remainder of his unfortunate stay in the cell colder and harder to bear. He felt angry for he couldn't know if Clank was safe and the turbulence of Orion's words still resided in his consciousness, trying to reach his core and break his valour apart.

"I'm sorry" he pronounced, pride abandoning him while he became fully aware of the impact of his mistakes. Loric didn't say anything to alleviate Ratchet's troubling feelings. With a grunt, he just kept working on the device in order to release him from his restrains. "What is the Trial of the Sovereign?" he decided to ask after a short-lived silence.

"Something you don't want us to get through. I just hope I manage to lead you to your ship before we get caught so you never have to know" Loric replied.

"I'm not going anywhere without Clank" Ratchet stated, refusing to listen to any dispute and ready to argue if any came from Loric.

"I knew you'd say that. Don't worry, I have the key to his cell. We'll free him right away" the Grey Mage reported and right afterwards, his efforts ended up in success and the chains around Ratchet's arms loosened and fell on the ground. "Come on" he urged and rapidly headed for the cell's exit. "We must leave before Orion-"

He never completed his sentence and froze where he was standing as he turned around and saw Ratchet on his feet but not moving at all. The Lombax stood still as if he had stepped on a mine and looked at Loric with eyes full of distrust and caution. Loric knew exactly what was on Ratchet's mind. "You… You can't be serious" he muttered when he understood Ratchet wasn't willing to put his trust in the one native to Silthrin. There was a pause as Loric anticipated an explanation from the one in doubt.

"How can I know you're not playing along?" Ratchet conveyed the reason behind his mistrust with his question.

"Are you kidding me?" was Loric's aggrieved response "I didn't know Orion would do this!" he went on but aggravation turned into despair when he witnessed Ratchet's unchanged attitude through a resolute motionlessness and a pair of narrowed emerald eyes. "I awoke locked up in a cell, just like you. I trapped one of my brothers in it. I'm disobeying my master's orders by helping you escape, Ratchet. Now I _am_ becoming a traitor, for real. Why would I risk losing my honour permanently for someone I wished to see dead? Besides, I'm your only hope right now" he claimed and grabbed the key in his pocket. He outstretched his palm to show it to Ratchet, whose suspicious gaze softened as soon as he lay his eyes on it. "You must trust me" he uttered with a calmer tone.

Ratchet stared at the key with the tag 'Twenty' for several seconds. Loric was right, he didn't have much of a choice. And if this Trial of the Sovereign was a horrid as the Grey Mage before him had asserted, he had to do whatever he could to find Clank and flee Silthrin. He slightly nodded and took the first steps to show Loric that he would follow him. The two of them marched into the wan fog, Loric leading the way to Cell Twenty.

Loric's earlier confession had sounded leastwise honest to Ratchet though he still felt perplexed. The Grey Mage's outburst while loosening the chains around his arms had given him the impression that he no longer believed in his cause. And the confusion Orion's misjudgment had left him with prevented Ratchet from thinking rationally and overshadowed his common sense. "Why are you doing this? Why run the risk of losing everything?" he wondered in the meantime.

"Because even though Orion hasn't seen who you are, I have. And I believe you can rescue us from the Unseen Destroyer, no matter what your name is" Loric warmly answered and smiled. "And when you do, my honour will be restored and I will be accepted back at the Brotherhood."

Ratchet shook his head, his frowned expression signifying he was in a quandary. "I still don't get it. Why didn't you deal with the Unseen Destroyer in the first place? Do you lack military forces?" he pondered.

"It's okay, I, I never really explained. We couldn't fight him because he never made a direct assault on Silthrin. And Orion never begins a war unless our home is at stake. For the protection of our ways, he decided not to choose sides on conflicts that don't affect us" Loric expounded while the wind blew around him and his ally. "We've been asked for help by planets pillaged by him but Master Orion refused to offer it, fearing this kind of tactic would endanger our own planet."

"So he left everyone that needed him high and dry to save his own ass? What a wuss!" Ratchet spoke, utterly miffed. "Why is he your leader again?"

"Contain your arrogance. Orion's made a lot that render him a worthy leader" Loric defended his master, even now that he had been practically renounced by him.

"It's not arrogance, it's logic. You just _don't_ refuse to help someone, especially when you're able to actually help" the Lombax claimed in zeal. He couldn't comprehend the way Orion thought. For him it was inconceivable to be asked for help and do nothing but let the ones in need suffer. And that wimp had become a leader? The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. "Did you bring us here to serve as Orion's minions?" Ratchet spat, looking more bothered than he meant to as soon as the thought that Orion wanted to take advantage of him and Clank by sending them to a mission he himself had the debt to fulfill brought forth his disdain towards the master of the hoary celestial orb.

"The reason why Orion brought you here is much more complex than you think" Loric hastened to alleviate Ratchet's malign impression.

"Can you be more specific _just this once_?" Ratchet said loudly as he raised his hands in an apparent lack of composure.

Loric eyed him with arched eyebrows, failing to conceal how nugatory Ratchet's impatience seemed to him. "Anyhow" he sighed as he shifted his gaze to look forward, desiring to end the controversy. "We've reached Cell Twenty" he declared as a small building similar to the one that bore the name 'Cell Fourteen' was seen beyond the colourless cloak that swayed in Silthrin's atmosphere.

Ratchet dashed to the door and observed it with anxious eyes as soon as he reached it, for the fact that it was locked prevented him from running any further. Loric approached it shortly and after unlocking it in a slow, sedate manner, as though he was unlocking something as uninteresting as a broom closet, unlike Ratchet whose anticipation was too great to conceal and as a result, he couldn't stop his tail from moving frantically, the gate opened.

Once they were allowed to examine the room with inquisitive eyes, the two of them saw Clank's form lain motionless on a stall. Ratchet called out his name and ran near him. Loric glanced behind to make sure they hadn't been followed, therein, after he was certain time was still on their side, he walked inside the room and observed his unmoving companion. His optic lenses were shut, their warm green light absent while he remained unresponsive to Ratchet's vehement pleas to wake up.

"What's wrong with him" Loric asked as composedly as he could, though concern filled him.

"His antenna's missing. He won't be able to register anything without it, even if he wakes up" Ratchet explained the situation, anger and distress creating a dangerous combination within him.

"It might be in the communal warehouse, where I found the keys and my staff. I saw your weapons there too" Loric came up with a possible solution.

Ratchet immediately ordered the Grey Mage to tell him how to reach the warehouse and Loric gave him detailed and comprehensible instructions. The Lombax began making his way there after asking from Loric to prevent anyone from approaching his unconscious friend. Despite his surprise by Ratchet's sudden urge to confide in him, Loric nodded assuring him there was no reason to worry. It wasn't long until the one regarded by Orion as _thief_ found and entered the warehouse, gratefully retrieving all of his equipment and hastily searching for the lost antenna. Ratchet investigated while leaving everything behind him in a state of disarray, his fern green orbs reflecting concern and exploring every corner. After several minutes, he allowed a smile to form on his face and ceased feeling distraught as he had found what he had been maniacally looking for. With his mission now complete, he retrieved the antenna from the cabinet at the far left corner of the rectangular structure and started walking back to Cell Twenty.

Loric heard footfall become louder with every passing second and gripped his staff, his wary glare fixated on the door. Moments later, he found himself relaxing as Ratchet's form appeared from beyond the ashen murk holding his trusty weapon on one hand and the missing object on the other. Without either of them having the need to exchange any words, Ratchet rushed to his robot friend and began to fix him, setting the antenna where it should have remained.

"I'll wait outside. Someone has to make sure we aren't followed" Loric informed but Ratchet had paid little to no attention, too absorbed by his attempt to help his unconscious friend.

After a while Clank slowly blinked as power began flowing through his circuitry again, rendering him awake from his unexpected shutdown. "Ratchet? Are you alright?" He asked in pure concern as he shifted to a sitting position, narrowing his luminous optic lids as he observed the nasty scratches on his friend's face.

"I'm okay, pal" the Lombax reassured, relief evident in his affectionate gaze. "Come on, we've got to get outta here."

"I do not seem to have registered any data from the last 7 hours, 11 minutes and 26 seconds. What happened?" the robot inquired curiously as he stood up to follow his friend to the door.

"Your antenna was missing when we found you. But I got it and fixed you. Look we've gotta get to Aphelion and fast, we're running out of time" Ratchet exhorted impatiently as soon as he remembered they would be practically hunted down and seized by Orion if he learned they had escaped.

"That's where you're wrong. You're already out of time" a voice behind them minatorily uttered, making Ratchet and Clank turn around abruptly to face Orion and right in front of him a knelt Loric. The leader of Loric's brotherhood was holding some type of dagger infused in a strange glowing liquid that made the blade glisten in neon-blue colour.

Ratchet summoned his Combuster swiftly as his survival instincts emerged above amiability and aimed at the leader accurately, his stare wrathful and hostile.

"Put that down, you audacious rat, or he's done for!" Orion threatened and brought the edge of the blade closer to Loric's throat. Loric himself looked unable to react but not because he lacked the strength. While noticing his lugubrious expression, Clank deduced it was due to his inability to process the way his master was treating him. The dagger close to his neck didn't seem so lethal in comparison with the mental torture he was undergoing right now. And to think that Orion considered _him_ a traitor.

"How can you say that when he's done everything you asked?" Ratchet wondered fervently, his unwillingness to lower his weapon too great to allow him to even flinch.

"You mean the one who brought a thief and a phony to our lands? I'll kill whoever it takes for the safety of my Brotherhood. Including this traitor" Master Orion confessed his dark intentions in a menacing tone.

"If anyone in this room's a traitor, it's you Orion. You're the one threatening to kill one of your own while forcing the rest of the Mages to do the same if needed. I don't even know why Kaden trusted you in the first place" Ratchet argued, the fire in his words hurting Orion's pride.

"You _dare_ talk about Kaden?! You, who's shameless enough to still wear this armor while it's destined to be worn by someone else? While it's not even yours to claim? Hah, you fit the description of a traitor better than anyone here" Orion daunted.

"Master Orion please, let Loric go. There is no need for anyone to be executed. As you have stated, we are to be subjected to a fair trial. We are willing to cooperate" Clank tried to reason with the enraged leader.

"Cooperate? You tried to escape! Your actions have insulted our ways. I'm beginning to think the Trial of the Sovereign is too merciful a punishment after all" Orion spoke in a spiteful manner. "However, as an act of good will I shall allow you to go through it. I'd like to believe you won't waste that second opportunity I'm offering you" he added, slightly more calmly than before, and gestured at Ratchet's weapon, which was still raised and aiming at the Grey Mage ceaselessly.

Ratchet was reluctant at first but silence settled in the cell, expecting him to do what he had been asked. He glimpsed at Clank who simply nodded, indicating he should submit to Orion's demands. Loric's life was on the line. And despite what had transpired as soon as they set foot on the Monument Square, this time Ratchet wanted to believe Clank was always right. In a slow pace that betrayed his unwillingness, Ratchet lowered his Combuster and voicelessly surrendered to Orion's command.

Master Orion withdrew the glowing dagger as well to show his will to end matters as painlessly as possible. Loric stood up and quickly made his way to join his allies.

"Night is almost upon us. Soon you will endure the Trial of the Sovereign. Don't try to escape , I'll have Mages patrol the area. If I find out that you made even a slight attempt, my good will shall be gone. And you'll never leave this planet, this I vow" Master Orion necessitated the significance of his decisions and after he took hold of Loric's staff he walked out of the cell, locking the door behind him and trapping them among four walls once again.

Loric turned to face his friends, a look of uncertainty and bitterness darkening his features. "Thank you, both of you."

"It was nothing. Helping someone who's in apparent danger is the least we can do" Ratchet emphasised, intentionally triggering the controversial discussion he had with Loric earlier. Loric realised that and frowned.

"So what? I'm supposed to stop obeying Orion so I can worship you, Ratchet?" the Grey Mage broke out, the stress that had built inside of him through these past hours obviously extending his turmoil.

"You're not supposed to worship anyone. You make your own decisions and do what you think is right. Simple as that" Ratchet responded stormily for reasons similar to Loric's.

"I _make_ my own decisions. What do you think, that we've no free will?" Loric went on, allowing his distress to take control of his rationality and composure.

"Do you see anyone trying to free you? Where are your _brothers_ , Loric? Oh that's right, they've abandoned you now that you need them the most just because this selfish jerk told them to!" Ratchet's words were filled with irony and the hurtful truth Loric had been denying all along. Now exposed before him, it pained him more than any other time.

"This argument is not leading any of us anywhere" Clank interfered, trying to end the fight and find the most reasonable solution to the problem at hand like he always did.

"I know" Ratchet sighed, abandoning the will to go on with the conversation as well. "I'm done talking anyway" he muttered as he grabbed his Warmonger and stepped backwards, facing the door.

"And what do you think you are doing?" Clank questioned, although he knew what was on his friend's mind and that he would have to find the words to convince him to change his plans, no matter how hard a task.

"Getting us out of here" Ratchet plainly replied as he caught a glimpse of Loric examining the weapon with widened blue eyes and mouth agape.

"I do not think we should provoke Orion more than we already have. We must endure the Trial of the Sovereign as an act of good will" Clank stated, fearing it wouldn't be enough to change Ratchet's mind.

"So you want me to just sit here and do nothing?" he roared in disbelief.

"It is the only way. Do you want to make matters worse?" Clank lectured, though he held a look of worry, eyes almost as if they were begging him to try and repress his uncompromising nature.

Ratchet's mind raced to the sequence of events the pulling of the trigger would ignite. With only the movement of his finger, a mad chase would ensue and the path of escape he would forge for him and Clank was not without perils. The Grey Mages were an easy target and this was exactly what held the young Lombax from continuing; should one desist from falling back Ratchet would be forced to fire his weapon. The mere thought seemed crazy, he could never become relentless enough to coldly murder them in the process of escaping. The slight pressure he was applying to the trigger was forthwith erased and Ratchet lowered the oversized, green-coloured weapon only to face the door as he suddenly caught himself missing the thick mist. The Warmonger approached the ground as its weight could now be fully perceived by his tired arms. Staring at the door with vacant eyes, Ratchet was dragged to the painful awareness of having to surrender in order to reach the end of the path he had chosen to follow.

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

Dense blackness embraced the iron-grey sphere that planet Silthrin was. Night had fallen and with it, the shadows of ordeal were cast. The cell darkened due to the gradual withdrawal of blocked by clouds sunlight and all Ratchet could think of as the dim yet comforting light slowly faded to reach other regions of Ceilif was the Trial of the Sovereign. A never ending quest began in his head but the solution seemed elusive and lately, all answers resided in the most treacherous of places, far from his reach.

"So, you still think I'm playing along?" a low, deep voice made him cease his silent mental pursuit. Ratchet would bet his OmniWrench sharp cynicism was hidden behind the Mage's words.

"Sorry about that" Ratchet plainly uttered, fervency having extinguished from the long hours of waiting. "It's gonna take a lot of time to trust a Grey Mage again, that's all" he sighed.

Loric's shady frame jolted and his head turned quickly to face the Lombax next to him. "Well, you _did_ omit to tell me you don't know your true name."

Ratchet rushed in front of Loric, his fully raised ears revealing his alarm. "Why is it so important? No matter how I'm called, I'm still the same Lombax! I've left all this behind, can't Orion do the same?" he claimed, ignoring the pinches curiosity troubled him with. He knew that if he had truly left everything behind, he wouldn't be on Silthrin right now. Before the disheartening thought could bring him further down, he leaned on the wall with his back and crossed his arms over his chest. "The Lombaxes would never treat guests like that."

"How do you know?" Loric protested, waving an open palm in the air to underline the importance of his words. "You've only come across one or two of them as far as I know. You really think everything your kind did was for a good cause?"

A cold stare was fixated on the Grey Mage despite the darkness that concealed details and features.

"What do you mean?" Clank stepped in to defend his friend. "The Lombaxes fought against the Cragmites to protect an entire galaxy. Is this not a good cause?"

"I see your point Clank, but do you know what the Lombaxes wanted to do before the Great War broke out? They wanted a greater involvement in warfare. They developed their technology so much they could dominate the entire arms industry. Many weapons you two have used have either been manufactured by Lombaxes or evolved thanks to prototypes designed by them" Loric explained as underlying contempt accompanied his allegation. "Tell me Ratchet, how can one sell weapons if there isn't a war? They craved for a war to break out."

"Lies!"

"Face it, your kind _loves_ war. It's always been in their blood. You for example have a natural affinity with battles and guns. Don't you ever wonder why?" Loric spoke with a steadily ever-growing scorn distorting the tone of his voice.

Even though he kept his expression bold, Ratchet's defenses had begun to give in. Never in his life had such a question been posed to him and the more he pondered it the more his resolvedness forsook him and the more the Trial of the Sovereign scared him.

"Do not listen to him, Ratchet. Even if this is true, it was many years ago. The Lombaxes have helped more than they have caused harm" Clank tried to ease the pain Loric's words could be causing to his friend. Even though Ratchet wasn't looking at the robot, Clank knew he had his attention and that he valued everything he had to say. "Let us not forget Loric is very upset about what Master Orion did and obviously does not mean everything he is saying" the Zoni robot concentrated on interpreting Loric's body movements, his optics narrowed so as to show his anger towards the Grey Mage.

Before Loric could come up with words that would belittle Clank and guard his pride, Master Orion entered the incommodiously small room and announced that the time had come for the three convicts to face justice by the Brotherhood's ways.

Ratchet, Clank and Loric walked behind Master Orion through the Monument Square where Aanwathir's statue prevailed, the darkness and the mist creating an eerie atmosphere and making his marble figure intimidating to Ratchet's eyes. He didn't falter for a second and his every step was steady, reflecting intrepidity. However his somewhat dropped ears and relatively still tail displayed the feeling of apprehension he was being tortured by. Loric marched with his head lowered as if shame and fear had left him with the need to hide his face and Clank's expression was enough to make Ratchet realise they were drifting in blurry and deep waters.

The long march seemed to have its toll on Ratchet for he seemed to now drag his feet as courage abandoned him. Moments later, they approached an enormous building the size of which inspired the two outsiders to feel dread and awe. The two best friends exchanged a hopeless gaze, unable to know what they should expect. At that instant, one thought helped Ratchet rid himself of some of the burden laid on him; whatever the Trial of the Sovereign was, at least they would get through this together.

Gigantic gates ornate with peculiar lines and symbols opened slowly, producing a heavy sound as they moved. Ratchet and Clank stared at the construction before them with eyes that divulged their admiration as well as intimidation.

"Move already!" Orion ordered with fiery rage and as a result Ratchet glared at him with anger so great he thought his veins were burning with adrenaline. _They_ were going to get through trial on a planet far away from any known galaxy and _he_ was seething? He had only felt such ferocious wrath two or three times in his life. Orion was close to claiming the first position on Ratchet's list of most annoying people he had ever met, surpassing even Qwark who had gained the first place with unbelievable ease as he had been helped by his natural talents.

"Give them some time, Master" another Grey Mage proposed and Orion said nothing in return, just moved inside the building hastily after producing an annoyed grunt.

Ratchet couldn't help but observe Loric, who had been quiet all along and without daring to look at anyone's face. He just walked in the tune of his defeat, his spirit highly disturbed. The young mechanic didn't seem to be able to decide if he should offer him some words of consolation after his uncharitable attempt to discourage him and make him re-evaluate the reasons he was fighting for at such an exigent time. Although gifted with kindness, Ratchet had a policy of limiting its exposure to people who treated him with respect and his belief that Loric respected him had crumbled the moment he forced him to assess the significance on his race when a great challenge awaited him.

"It is going to be alright, Mr. Ellebor" Clank openly tried to comfort him but it didn't seem to work. Loric turned his head the other way, too humiliated to dare raise his gaze from the ground. Clank felt ultimately defeated at that point and withdrew with a bitter look, allowing Loric to have his privacy.

They eventually moved inside the monumental edifice as they wandered through the hall, stepping on the dark-purple carpet beneath their feet. A circular chamber was afterwards approached as a chandelier with various little glowing gems hang from the ceiling. A pedestal was placed on the centre of the cornerless hall on which Orion stepped to officially proclaim his decisions, two Grey Mages standing on either of his sides. After ascertaining himself that no one was moving and everybody's attention was on him, Master Orion spoke.

"The challenge ahead of you will require all of your physical and mental strength, though the will of the Astral Ones is also a crucial factor. Survive the ordeal and you shall gain _Purification_ , meaning I will release you and allow the two of you to return to your home planet. Fail and simply die so you can be delivered at the hands of what we call _Damnation_ " Master Orion informed, speaking casually, ostensibly ignoring the fact that his words were affecting the fates of three lives.

"But I was under the impression that our actions were to be thoroughly examined by some sort of jury" Clank expressed, the tone of his voice indicating he suspected that this challenge was fraught with danger.

"Our ancestors are the only trustworthy jury. You'll face the challenge. Survive or die" Orion stated impassively.

"You're insane, Orion!" Ratchet snapped at the pitiless master.

"I'm insane? You're the one who showed up with a stolen piece of armor and claimed you're someone else. Now those are some serious signs of insanity" Orion affronted the rebellious Lombax before him. "Proceed" he dictated and gestured at the three dark corridors behind him. "The phony on the left, the traitor on the right and the thief in the middle please" he gave his instructions in a callous manner.

"Don't you see, Master?" Loric shouted unexpectedly, drops of cold sweat sparkling on his forehead from the chandelier's lurid light. "Ratchet is the only one we can rely on right now! The Unseen Destroyer will come to claim Silthrin sooner than you might think! Inertia will only lead to enslavement!"

Loric's sudden urge to defend Ratchet mystified the _thief_ , who could no longer look at Loric with anger after what he had heard him speak. Instead, he stared at the sentenced sorcerer as a bewildered, almost sympathetic sense made his gaze softer.

A silent, baleful laughter escaped Master Orion's thin lips. "A traitor indeed. Thank you for eliminating all suspicions of wrong judgment, Ellebor" he stated with a sardonic smile before his expression became cruel again, making the lines of his face deeper and more intense. "I said proceed!"

Ratchet turned to face the three corridors. They were too dark to distinguish what lay beyond and he was getting the impression they were hungry and ready to swallow all three of them. "Orion has a strange definition of _good will_ " he told his friend. "You still believe this is a good idea?"

"If I am to be honest, no" Clank replied, doubt deluging the energy that flowed through his circuitry.

"Does that mean you were actually wrong and I was right?" Ratchet mused a bit too enthusiastically despite their dire situation. He only received a glare from Clank.

"We help each other" Loric clarified, his voice stable in spite of the shameful feeling that took hold of his rationality through the hours of his condemnation. "That's our goal. Overcoming the obstacles on my path will open the way for Clank and when he succeeds in moving ahead, your way will be cleared of all enemies. Whenever you manage to go farther in your path, I'll be able to progress and so on. We must endure this until all of us reach the end of our paths" he explained to Ratchet who had sunk deep in thought, listening to the Grey Mage carefully.

Loric was given his staff back as it was necessary for his journey through the Trial of the Sovereign. They moved closer to the unlit halls, each where Orion had instructed them to go. They stood cold on their tracks right one step before the engulfing darkness could embrace them.

"Clank was right" Loric had spoken with an apparent lack of constraints to his emotional state, which made Ratchet slightly turn to his right to ascertain the Mage's face betrayed the same regret his voice did. "I didn't mean to agitate you. I guess I was so upset I couldn't control myself. I lost my faith in my kind and for some reason I wanted the same thing to happen to you. If we get through this, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

Ratchet looked at obscurity's scenery before him, challenging him and reminding him the leader of this land expected him to fail and even wished for his doom. He could feel a discomforting heat surround him and the thought that Orion's pitiless gaze was on him made the fur beneath his silver armor defy gravity. He gnashed his teeth in oppressive anticipation of what lay ahead. Silthrin's atmosphere no longer provided oxygen abundantly and his chest heaved visibly for his lungs suffered from the absence of clear air that vitalized him.

"Good luck" Loric wished to his allies the moment he realised Ratchet wasn't about to disregard what he had told him in the cell. Without anticipating a response, he walked further in the corridor and disappeared into the unsettling absence of light.

Clank turned to his right to face Ratchet. "Please, be careful" he told him in a manner that indicated he was basically demanding it while also offering a piece of advice.

"Yeah, you too buddy" Ratchet reciprocated the concern Clank had overtly expressed.

Neither of them moved for several seconds. They kept staring at the cold darkness before them, its grasp and its tests so intimidating that neither could ever muster the strength to trust it. In the end however, they didn't have a choice. Almost simultaneously Ratchet and Clank stepped into the gloom, causing their ordeal to begin.

The Trial of the Sovereign.

After taking slow, blind steps ahead, Loric found himself on an intricate crossroad with several walls with tiny bores and obstacles that brashly surfaced from the floor and enclosed him in their fraudulent cage. Walking into the small labyrinth, he raised his head hoping to see the fogged, charcoal sky that had the ability to call malevolent anxiety out of his system in his darkest hours and send it to the mist, shivering and evanescent into the haze's clarity that surpassed that of the most crystalline waters. He spotted no ceiling above and only the broken on several parts glass separated him from the cathartic blessing of the grey. The moon's radiant presence led him to the recesses of his will to go on. With a look of courage, he moved forward to enter his own personal challenge while letting the night's glowing guardian illuminate his way.

After taking hasty, determined steps ahead, Ratchet was led deeper into the inimical darkness where fear could easily rejoice and feast on the shattered hope of whoever awaited the adjudication of the Astral Ones. Through the minimal vision provided by the dark, he could detect mechanical beings roaming like puppets whose strings were pulled by the invisible judges Orion was so fond of believing in. On the opposite side of him beyond the robotic enemies Ratchet could discern a button and its presence made him wonder whether he was becoming victim of a fallacy or he was chosen by good fortune to be her new outlast. However, doubt lasted for a mere second for the desire to prove his worth in battle and survive with flames and explosions as his witnesses took over.

"Great. Just what I needed" he uttered with a cunning smile and grabbed his Constructo Bomb.

After taking steady, cautious steps ahead, Clank saw refulgent rays penetrate the darkness and declare their dominance through the light they provided. But he was wise enough to hold himself from falling into deceptive reassurance which turned out to be a smart tactic as soon as he was faced with a hall of deathtraps consisted of electrical whips and lasers. The incandescent lines moved in the air way too fast to evade even for a being such as him that lacked natural deficiencies and Clank, in his inability to express any other form of reaction, stared at them with bright-green lenses wide open. He shook his head in disbelief and moved closer to the deadly lights reluctantly. His sensors received signs of a presence behind him and so he turned rapidly to find out who was watching him. The sight before him made his aspiration transcendent as it pierced through his fearfulness

"We're here to help you, sire."

Loric knew that despite his age, he was a fairly good runner. Whenever he sent his stare downwards though, he perceived his gait was laggard and his foothold imbalanced. The smog created by the gas emitting from the walls harassed his equilibrium between perception and insensibility as he felt jaded and powerless against the trail the Astral Ones had prepared for him. Multiple times did he stumble upon a deadend and every single time he was forced to turn back and find a new way to navigate through the maze, his hopes for his survival diminished. He knew the seconds he wasted were seconds that brought either Ratchet or Clank closer to their extermination as well. Deciding to head to the right by random choice Loric watched his own feet moving slowly, one foot in front of the other, as the juniper green haze reddened his cyan eyes.

After reaching the end of the path, he discovered he had finally followed the right track for the abnormal lack of oxygen was no longer present and the end of the labyrinth unveiled itself in the form of a symbol carved on the wall and extending its simplistic design through the wideness of the stony surface. The carved lines conspired to shape a crescent moon and a drop trickling from its lower tip, resembling a lonesome tear. Panting and exhausted due to inhaling a considerable amount of the weakening gas, the one accused of treason spotted a sizeable niche on his right that contained three smaller holes. He frowned, his thoughts searching for the exact nature of its purpose. The Grey Mage allowed his staff to slide into his sweated palms until his fingers could touch the sapphire gem. Some short moments of deliberation disclosed to him that the precious stone and the little openings on the wall had the exact same size.

"The symbol…" he mumbled and mentally traced back to the poems and phrases his teachers were so fond of preaching when he was much younger.

"This is the symbol of the War of the Moons" he cogitated and recalled the excerpt he had read in the respective history book.

 _'…Then fell on Silthrin endless night_

 _When our dead immortals cried_

 _Ash of flying iron stars touched Monument Square_

 _And as war waged on Ceilif's moons_

 _To the west Aanwathir marched the news to share…'_

"To the west. The west is… on the left" he finally concluded. "Please, let this work" he murmured to himself, though entire possibilities filled with terrorizing realities flashed through his mind.

He took a tighter grip of his staff and after a hopeless glimpse at the smoky heavens above his head, a pale light was emitted from the precious stone. With his pair of dark blue orbs set on the left opening, he inserted the top of his staff in it and awaited with trembling arms. No negative change occurred to lead him right into his death. Instead, he watched as a white energy travelled in another room, flowing in specially designed conduits incorporated on the ceiling.

The Zoni helped Clank through the mortal path by manipulating the normal flow of time. They worked in perfect unison to assist the robot as they prevented the lasers from rotating at maximum speed which offered Clank the opportunity to trespass the perilous path successfully. Clank refrained from blinking as the reflection of the radiant lines disrupted the harmonic green of his optics and his state of stillness manifested his clinging to a seemingly illicit hope. The urgent need to evade death in the form of blazing strings permeated motionless and led Clank to his next steps as he crouched in order to move ahead while keeping away from the heat-emitting ray. The world around him became pellucid cerulean every time the guardians of time intervened, participating in the challenge Orvus' son had to overcome.

Once the ever so moving beams were behind him Clank arrived at a door that seemed sealed. The first seconds he spent staring at it didn't grant him a way through and the set of possibly lethal lasers reduced the distance threateningly. The four Zoni that were there to aid him watched the door with an unorthodox calmness, their abilities being of limited use as they weren't allowed to slow down time for too long or a severe time paradox would occur. Clank was trapped and unless the door before him opened, he would be exterminated.

He narrowed his lenses as defeat dawned on him and observed the lethal rays as they rushed to his direction. And not even the Zoni could defer the forthcoming woe. Clank feared he wouldn't see the light of any celestial orb again and his instant devastation was the only foresight his restless thoughts could produce, even if it perturbed the core of his circuitry.

An unwonted brightness drew his gaze to the door again where a dazzling white light filled its crevices, causing it to instantly open. He attempted to spot its source and his research quickly guided his stare to the right corner of the wall. Loric's words were replayed in his head, making the gears in him turn fast.

 _"Overcoming the obstacles on my path will open the way for Clank and when he succeeds in moving ahead, your way will be cleared of all enemies."_

Clank and the Zoni proceeded to the next room, moldy walls with the colour of wet soil enclosing them into ordeal's den and striving to keep the cold breeze away. Once on a safe spot, the robot observed platforms with mechanisms consisted of elongated bars that supported them, one far away from the other and all of them moving as they rotated to follow a nondescript pattern with the objective to lead the convict to irreversible defeat. The neon-blue fluid underneath the untrustworthy surfaces made Clank immediately remember the dagger that almost took Loric's life back at the cell, the memory giving space to a dread that affected his already waning confidence. He quickly made the connection, concluding that coming in contact with the glimmering pool beneath the platforms was to be avoided at all costs.

Realising that Loric had managed to survive the first part of his path of condemnation he became aware of the gratitude he owed him for evading death at the clutches of fiery lights but anxiety prepared him for worse since the burden of their survival lay on him now.

"My turn to help you, Ratchet" he remarked as he readied himself for the next tide of the raging storm born by Orion's wrath, allowing no demons of doubt to obscure his sense for he would allow no failure that could potentially take his friend's life.

 _Click, click!_

"Damnit!" Ratchet cursed as the trigger of his Doom Blades became unresponsive, which rendered it the fifth weapon of his arsenal that was out of ammunition.

An ever-growing tension flowed through him in the form of adrenaline as he took firm hold of his Constructo Shotgun with rather spasmodic movements, the coldness of the steel penetrating the fabric of his gloves that almost sent a chill down his spine. His tail twitched due to the abrupt appearance of even more robotic enemies and the coolness of the weapon's alloy led his pair of vivid green eyes skyward, imagining this planet's bleak daylight and longing to face the sky sunken in the color of the ash, now valuing it as more enchanting and serene than he had appreciated when he first reached Silthrin.

The sound of drilling circular saws forced his attention back to the fight with a relentless cold-heartedness and Ratchet sighted his metallic rivals that contained blade saws instead of regular arms. Sharp, intermittent breaths escaped him as his consciousness settled from incredulity to full alertness. His defensive stance and aggressive stare worked as a form of retaliation for the pessimistic thoughts that threatened his integrity. The notion of pointlessness weighed heavily on his mind for no matter how great an amount of enemies he defeated more and more spawned and outnumbered the fallen ones. The battle seemed endless as if he had been trapped into a frozen moment in time where the effect of suns and moons orbiting could no longer reach his existence and were unable to give meaning to the passage of minutes and hours. His military experience dictated that melee combat was a rash decision he had best avoid but Ratchet would have no choice once the ammo of all of his weapons depleted.

He kept that thought aside for he knew it would drain him of his strength prematurely. And he needed all the strength he could muster to survive his own agonizing ordeal, a poisonous gift granted by Orion, representing a vengeance protected by the night. The robots formed a semicircle in front of Ratchet, the spiky edges of their saws moving closer to the Lombax's face.

"Uh no, I'm not getting a close shave today" he uttered before firing the first round of Constructo shells.

Clank landed on the last platform with a loud sound produced by his metallic feet coming in contact with the horizontal surface. Glimpsing at the walls around him, he witnessed their colour return to mahogany brown, abandoning the translucent cyan the chrono-spell had covered them with. Running with all of his might, he reached the edge and took one final leap before the platform could float away from the steady ground that looked like the most welcoming sight he had encountered in many hours. The still lines of all objects around him and all figures instantly twirled, blending into a slightly blurry landscape of aquamarine waves. The small robot levitated, turning his gaze to the neon-blue pool beneath his feet that shone extraordinarily due to the effect of the time-bending powers of the Zoni.

The sound of incessant sizzling quickly followed its normal pace as soon as Clank's aerial journey was over and his feet on flat ground, away from the platforms' hazardous dance. At the end of his own path was a lever and in it he saw the only key of helping Ratchet face his personal tribulation.

"You must pull the lever, sire" the Zoni suggested in tune.

Clank's suspicions about the lever's functional purpose faded and the wish to take matters into his own hands guided his hand on it as a resolute movement led it downwards, leaving a dark brown stain on the wall that resembled a permanent shadow.

The sound of a heavy load being dragged penetrated Ratchet's ears as much as he detested distractions during a battle, his curiosity made the robots' razors dull in his eyes. He glanced at the source of the tedious sound and watched doors sealing the openings from where his enemies emerged, preventing any more adversaries from making their way towards him. The monotonous sound of metal descending furiously to touch the floor sounded like a song of comfort during the last moments of this occurrence and Ratchet managed a grateful smile as soon as he assessed the situation.

"Thanks, pal" he murmured and took a firm hold of his Lightning Ravager, opting to preserve the ammo of long ranged weapons in case the number of enemies became unmanageable again in the upcoming minutes.

Swinging the powerful whip-like weapon he saw the electrifying light-blue line comply with his will as it moved rapidly in correspondence with every movement of his hand, the results of its conformity showing in the broken pieces of rusted alloy down Ratchet's feet. A light steam and little sapphire sparks tortured the fallen form of each piece and Ratchet smiled triumphantly at the fruits of his labour.

After the last robot was dealt with, he noticed there was nothing posing a threat to him anymore. Everything was confined to a mundane stillness and no new path revealed itself before him. He recalled Loric's words and realised he had to help Loric go on with his own challenge if he were to continue onward. He set his emerald eyes on the button that had caught his attention right before his battle had began. Exertion made his movements slothful when he headed for the button and once near it, Ratchet pushed it with a skeptical attitude that decelerated the motion of his hand and caused his eyebrows to furrow.

As soon as he applied pressure to the button, the same rusted sound deluged the area like a turbulent tide and Ratchet watched the corroded surfaces give into the gravity-defiant mechanism, thus revealing a new battalion of robots heading his way with a heavy marching.

"You can't be serious!" he spat to no one in particular and grabbed the first thing he could lay his hands on, which happened to be his OmniWrench.

He held it defensively in front of him in an attempt to intimidate his enemies. Fervent defiance accompanied the movements of his melee weapon and the sultry air he inhaled burned his throat only for it to escape through gritted teeth. One of his metallic adversaries assaulted him ferociously with the familiar blade saw but Ratchet managed to strike it in time and deflect the spinning razors attempting to steal the lifeforce out of him.

Never-ending battle or not, Ratchet had once been told that becoming the last one standing in a fight was a matter of choice. And even though the one who had told him this had fallen, swayed by the limitless reach of time's boundless existence right at the centre of the Universe, Ratchet believed he had been right. The sole dividing line between victory and defeat was the limit you put on your will to survive. And his will for survival was abundant on that misty, moonlit night.

As his limbs burned by the sustained energy, Ratchet put his faith on his OmniWrench thinking a close combat might release him from harrowing agitation.

Large stony walls came into view as soon as the symbol that had appeared proudly before Loric was swallowed by the ground he stood on as the surface that prevented him from walking any farther receded and disclosed a second maze he had to trespass. He missed the clearness of unperturbed atmosphere as soon as toxic gas emitted around and made him feel worn out as though the night had acquired the length of days. Keeping his eyes open had never required such tremendous effort and the deep-sapphire colour in them lessened for they remained narrowed due to exhaustion. He pressed on, leaning on his staff with each weary step that was guided by a clouded mind.

A quick glimpse at his feet sent a brief but sharp ache at his heart for he realised he was dragging himself onward rather than walking, soles denying to abandon the ground. A harmless stumble forced him to support his weight on the white staff and subsequently, long strands of hair fell on his face turning his vision partly black. _'I can't give up. I must move on. It's almost over, it must be_ , he screamed into his mind, commanding his heels to rise in the air and break free from their gravity-bound spell but his body refused to fulfill this order.

"I can't fail…" he expressed through a silent shout and a loud whisper, something akin to a sob and then slowly walked into the first path of the maze he happened to see.

The door that slid open before Clank held the promise of safety for a great distance was created between him and the boiling blue pool. The robot along with his loyal, peculiar followers moved ahead, not permitting himself to stand still for a second. Light chose not to be his ally this time as Clank traversed into the formidable blackness which however was rivaled by his flawless vision and the blue shine of the Zoni. The darkness was disturbed by yet another deadend, its weakness exposing itself through a dimly illuminated area that made Clank smile gratefully before he noticed there was no space on the wall that would grant him a way beyond.

A sudden noise sent an excessive amount of electricity to his sensors which made him jump in surprise. The moment he turned around little glowing spikes made his eyes become enlarged, like two small moons. A surface full of poles that possessed keen edges hurt Clank even with their magisterial presence. The toxic neon-blue fluid adorned the sharp points and the surface quickly detached from the far end of the ceiling to descend to the robot's level, railing fast to his direction.

The sound of a Warmonger's trigger's faint click echoed in the massive hall. Ratchet's breathing became erratic , a lightheadedness already making him feel like he was floating a few inches above the ground, dragging his consciousness dangerously away from the battle. His legs ached unbelievably because of his ceaseless endeavours to avoid enemy attack. He stared at the second button on the other side but the unimaginable amount of enemies obstructing him made it impossible to approach.

Although not a weapon with heavy firepower and thus, not one of his favourite choices, he took a tight hold of his Combuster and fired. As he suspected, it didn't inflict much damage and all it managed was to temporarily distract the mass of hostile iron men.

As much as every muscle hurt, Ratchet refused to surrender. No matter what, he wasn't ready to draw that line that would separate defeat from victory.

Fatigue seemed to have now acquired a form to Loric, materializing in voices of mockery he swore came from the walls he stumbled upon every time he failed to follow the right track. If he could see beyond the hypnotising haze, he was certain he would spot cruel, cold eyes on the walls staring at him with such discontent even a Loki would choose to flee this place in fear. When his staff failed to support his weary figure, he found himself pulled by a force the floor suddenly unleashed with him as the target and thus, fell on his knees.

The sound of shaky breaths overpowered the scornful words that came from the walls for details and colours appeared beyond the fading mist that had drained him off his strength, as if now satisfied to have weakened this place's trespasser was free to dissolve and connect with the sky in a vaporous dance. Loric blinked to fix his blurred vision and when his cerulean eyes focused, another symbol welcomed him to the end of his second test. The wall before him differentiated itself thanks to the lines carved upon it that shaped an eye, sparkling silver leaf bits representing the iris.

Spotting the second niche to his right, Loric knew what had to follow and despite the strict eye watching him, seemingly declaring Orion's unforgiving presence, he lifted himself off the ground even though his own weight made him more vulnerable to gravity. He knew that symbol quite well for the adage it represented was one of the basic things every Grey Mage was taught.

 _"The Astral Ones are watching you_

 _so you won't lose your one-way path._

 _And if you sway and fall from grace_

 _move only forward and trust your staff."_

Loric's nous focused on the traditional saying. "A one-way path has no turns" he eventually concluded and selected the opening in the middle of the niche, the one that had two holes of the same size on each side.

After inwardly ordering the sapphire of his staff to glimmer its azure-whitish light, he positioned the gem in the opening hoping to have solved the riddle. Afterwards, Loric withdrew his staff with an intense, almost violent movement and looked around him in search for any kind of change that would declare either victory or defeat. It wasn't long until the purely white energy flowed through the wall and into another room.

For quite some time, Loric's senses detected no movement and for a while he thought he was trapped in there. As the silver eye kept on watching him in an unmerciful manner, Loric finally became aware of the ringing in his ears he subconsciously kept ignoring during the trial. As his body refused to do his bidding, the Grey Mage felt his limbs paralyzing before falling abruptly on the ground while sweet, enticing oblivion carried his consciousness away from his senses.

The salutary blue light gradually disappeared and Clank was blighted with a feeling of dismay when the fact that he was left alone dawned on him like a livid blaze that unloosed its wrathful sparks on him. When the realisation that no white energy would come to defeat the odds came faster than desired he moved his hand near his chest's compartment, bright eyes almost shut so as to shield himself from the horrid sight of spikes sliding his way with a rampant mania.

He retrieved the only Time Bomb left and stared at it with a look that signified the doubt clouding his thoughts. Although enhanced with nuclear power, it could still slow down time. The highly pitched grinding noise impinged his mental stability which he desperately tried to maintain intact. But the thought that Ratchet's tomorrow depended on him made his efforts futile and the idea of preserving the Time Bomb for a possibly another emergency sound like the silliest plan he could come up with at that moment.

He found the bravery to raise his withered, absent from zeal gaze to face the approaching metal thorns. His hold on the spherical object became even firmer when he calculated there were 6.34 seconds separating him from the chaos ensuing when life was severed and death took hold. Stillness left its trace on these very moments he registered. 4.45 seconds were left when Clank prepared to throw his Time Bomb.

The door behind him budged and the robot turned around to face the familiar light that enabled the rusted mechanism and instantly brought him relief for the second time. 2.01 seconds. He ran as fast as his little legs allowed him to. Once closer to the second lever, Clank turned around with a look of curiosity somewhat consumed by terror and noticed the deathtrap had stopped where it was. He sighed, thinking he would probably feel his heart beat fast in anxiety if he were an organic.

He advanced towards the lever and brought its handle closer to the ground with the little strength he could muster, an act that sealed the ending of his part. Feeling immensely grateful for still being fully functional, he hoped Ratchet and Loric were still fighting out there, somewhere.

A violent impact and one more robot was on the ground, its razor blade detaching from its position and flying to the corner of the spacious chamber with a disturbingly loud bang. Ratchet panted heavily as he struck one more enemy with his OmniWrench, currently the only weapon capable of keeping him alive. He knew he should have taken the R.Y.N.O. V with him but he had left it on Igliak in fear of getting involved in the unknown galaxy's law enforcement.

"How many of you _are_ there?!" he shouted, driven by intensity while he hit more and more enemies.

His efforts to stay alive were so strenuous his whole body was quivering, ears lowered to the point they slightly touched the back of his head. A jolt instantly harassed his right shoulder when the sound of doors shutting penetrated the air. The knowledge that his friend had succeeded on his venture made joy surge within him as it somewhat chased away his tension.

His moment of short relief caught him off guard when the only robot operational dug its spinning saw into Ratchet's blade shoulder, creating a small dent on his silvery armor that sparkled beneath the faint light of the aged lamps. A sharp yell escaped his mouth when his armor's alloy came in contact with his skin with an unpleasantly great force that would probably leave a bruise or two. Turning around, he realised he had taken a few steps forward as a means to protect himself even though he never performed this act consciously. With eyes reflecting the anger caused by the pain on his shoulder, he stared at the robot challenging it to attack him. And as he expected, he saw his rival assault with its blade saw aiming for his head. Ratchet was quick enough to stoop and avoid the attack, in the meantime hitting his opponent with his trusty weapon aided by the momentum he managed to gain. He ended up sending the robot a few feet away from him, rendering it extremely damaged when it hit the ground.

Although Ratchet was now the last one standing, he didn't seem to be enjoying his triumph. His chest hurt and his heart felt ready to explode. He missed a step for the ground felt slippery and fell with one knee on the floor. Wearied by the battle, he raised his stare but perceived everything more slowly than he should, bleary-eyed and fatigued. He faced the button looking less welcoming than earlier as he thought it would be a deed if he ever reached it. He slowly stood up, carefully supporting his weight on both legs and took painfully slow steps, instantly falling on the button's basis to remain upright or else he was certain he would collapse.

His mind raced in-between millions of thoughts. If he pushed the button, more enemies would appear and this time he wouldn't be able to cope with the aftermath of the crime Orion believed he had committed. But if he didn't, Loric was at stake which also meant that Clank would be in serious danger. And he couldn't afford to let him get harmed, especially if it were to happen because of him.

With a bitter inhale and viridescent eyes staring at the button's curvy, maroon surface he pressed it and waited, as alert as his troubled mind would allow him to be.

For about a minute nothing happened and the more his body relaxed, the more Ratchet couldn't control what was happening around him. Even leaning on the button's base was becoming too hard and so he fell down, his search for repose pointless. The last thing he was able to conceive was Master Orion approaching. Afterwards, a veil of insensitivity covered him and the question of whether he had eventually gained _Purification_ or _Damnation_ lingered in his mind before closing his eyes completely.

* * *

 **A/N: What Loric said about the Lombaxes right before the Trial was an attempt to show there's no such things as 'good guys' and 'bad guys'. I find it too simplistic to present the Lombaxes only as heroes and imagined they tried to do or did something bad at least once during their existence. Not because they were evil but because of the circumstances they happened to live under. I don't know if this was a wise decision but it was an approach I wanted to try out.**

 **Also, have you seen all this sweet new gameplay from the PS4 game? Plus the cutscenes and the new bits from the movie? If you haven't don't even bother leaving a review, go watch this awesome stuff NOW! Only a month to go. So excited!**

 **Thank you for reading, until next time!**


	11. The Falling of Winter

**A/N: *Clears throat* Well, I'm out of excuses for my ridiculous delays. But I did have exams. I know I said I won't thank each individual separately, I lied. I truly can't express enough gratitude for the support you all show. So thank you Max Chronicle, SpaceWonder368, gwencarson126 (and thank you so much for also favouriting, so glad you've been enjoying my story) and Josh14Raider! And thank you 19will97 and NilakantaDragonQueen619 for the follows, it's really encouraging!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Ratchet  & Clank franchise or any characters related to it. All rights go to Insomniac Games.**

 **Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: The Falling of Winter**

Cinder-coloured clouds and the rule of gray emanating from the thick mist marked the dawning of an ashen morning. The dying wind, the stony leaves and the marble pieces dispersed around the shale-filled land all fell under silence's dominion, cloaking the planet with a veil of lifelessness. The lethargy of the sun became the source of disquietude to some and forged the path to equanimity for others. Master Orion, belonging to the latter category, let the humid air delight his nostrils as he inhaled the cold breeze gratefully. Even if night's challenge of judgment had managed to surprise his weary mind and scorn him for his obstinacy at the expense of his wisdom acquired by the many years of existence in remote Ceilif and beyond, the slow movement of his head that sent his violet gaze towards the sky was in perfect concord with the placidity he felt.

He pulled part of his soft mantle closer to his chest as an act of seeking shelter from the chill that assailed him right when a puff arose above the infertile ground. He enfolded his body with the chalk-textured chiton, getting a firm hold of as much fabric as he could and let his harassed by the sudden, frosty wind eyes search for his desired destination as many little lines beginning from around his mauve orbs and gradually vanishing before they could reach his cheeks disturbed his face's pale complexion.

The resounding clack produced by his bold walking on the paving reverberated a devoid of remorse attitude. With a seemingly indestructible resoluteness Master Orion hastened his footsteps all the while being careful not to drop the small, circular object in his hand, his grip on it tight as if he might as well submit himself to lamentation if he allowed it to fall and join the pieces of broken statues.

A small, rectangular building came into sight when the mist ceased its deceptive effect on anyone who dared venture outside and now the leader could confide in his previously untrustworthy vision. A young Grey Mage stood relatively motionless before a copper-red door with his mahogany brown hair waving under the influence of the breeze which had grown into a callous gust. Orion's magisterial presence and a nod resulted in the abrupt moving of the sentinel who unlocked the metal door and granted access to the master.

Into the wall-surrounded space where the haze's misleading presence could not delude perception the silhouette of a Lombax sitting in a corner was distinguished by the rather reluctant dweller of the isolated planet. Heavy steps guided his fatigued form farther from the bleak realm silencing all traces of vitality and closer to the enervated occupant of the cell. The prisoner raised his head indolently and his eyes, though deficient in their familiar spark of hope and vigor that made them resemble two jade gemstones, turned into a hostile glare that penetrated Orion.

"So, what's on today's schedule? Do I get to go through the _traitor's_ path?" Ratchet spat, his speech oscillating between utter contempt and irony. "Or you'd rather see me drown? Wait, choking actually sounds better. Or how about bleeding to death?" Orion believed Ratchet's words of anger would soon transform into daggers and be shot at him as the disguise of bitter sarcasm they wore wasn't enough to hide wrath. The Grey Mage searched fervently for words his mouth could mutter but nothing could be found for his thoughts suddenly became shadowed by a fog of contriteness. "Just let me reach my ship and I'll give you the armor before I go, I have a spare set there."

Eventually, Master Orion's insight was cleared when the petrifying fog in his mind dissolved, the change of his former state shown through the words he let escape him. "I was wrong about your robot friend. Turns out he's not a phony. I saw him decelerate the flow of time in order to survive. He… he _is_ a Zoni" he admitted as his precedent obduracy began shattering in defeat.

Ratchet arched his eyebrows and the glint of rage immediately extinguished in his verdurous orbs. "Is he okay?" he asked while his voice gave into a softer tone.

Orion muttered a hardly audible _yes_ before his reluctance to speak created an awkward quietness. His palms became sweaty and the physical manifestation of the remorse he had been immersed in turned his consciousness into a cruel judge that reprimanded him for his failure to be condescending as any leader should. The nonexistent yet daunting voice echoed in his mind, hurting the intactness of his aloof, magisterial attitude like a crackling glass.

"You dropped this while you were fighting" he revealed the true reason behind his visit and outstretched his hand that held the small object he had struggled to save from wind's greedy grasp.

The dim shining of the item's metallic layer triggered Ratchet's interest and magnetised his stare, wielding his attention to its cunning will by interfering with a few pleasant memories and many treacherous ones. The mechanic's fern-green eyes sent a somewhat saddened look at the object which reflected the slight narrowing of his emerald orbs as well as the mild blur that persecuted their lucidity. The linen fabric of his glove touched his pocket watch and his fingertips underneath his glove were benumbed by the cold born by disappointment. He secured the irreplaceable relic by clasping his palm, sheltering protectively the key to the most defining of memories, the only true reminder of his days with Alister and the sole way to know what his father looked like.

A quick thought alit vigour and sent it flowing through every inch of his body, causing him to stand upright. Crepuscular hope smoldered in his lively gaze as he opened the spring-hinged lid and glimpsed at the photograph of General Azimuth and Kaden it contained before showing it to Orion. Ratchet only wished it would arouse the leader's attentiveness just like in his own case when he was told about it by the exile for the first time.

 _"And you, my dear boy, look just like your father."_

Orion recoiled while his bewilderment spread through his nerves like a contagion, making him lose control of his own body as his pair of amethysts widened and his lips failed to remain sealed, mouth agape in infragible shock. An involuntary journey to remembrance instantly began, crossing the scenes of his times with Kaden accompanying his old friend. Orion imagined him in a wraithlike form but even this way his presence in his memory lane was mood-elevating. His faltering purple eyes fell on Ratchet and only his logicality held him from swearing that Kaden escaped the spectral realm and arrived to meet his friend in flesh and bones. Father and son were almost identical and Orion shortly recognised the playful wittiness, the bravery and the stubbornness that extended the resemblance between the two Lombaxes beyond mere façade.

"It _is_ you…" Orion barely managed to pronounce with a tingled tongue that hindered his speech as his mind began functioning normally again, deducing that only someone who was close to either Kaden or the Lombax with the maroon stripes, who he assumed must have been that close friend of Kaden's, would carry the particular object with him. Evidence arose from his own intellect to mock his arbitrary behavior but this time, he didn't care. The adjudicator in his head was now silent. "You're the right one."

"It's not like you were running the risk of being deceived, Orion" Ratchet muttered in an ostensibly reticent manner, traces of frailty suppressing the volume of his voice and making him sound as though he had just come out of a lost fight. "I'm the only Lombax left."

Orion shook his head in recurring blameworthiness. "You never got to meet your parents… Or your kind. Did you?" he questioned pitifully. Instead of an answer, sonic void remained prominent. Ratchet's lack of words worked as a sufficient answer. "There are things we need to talk about then" Orion sighed. "Let's take a walk on the Monument Square."

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

An old vendor near the communal warehouse came online and Ratchet was allowed to refill the ammunition of all his weapons. When his attention was detached from the cube, he pryingly observed Master Orion speaking to a Grey Mage as a calm wind blew against his golden fur. Seconds later, the leader's subordinate took off and the newly released captive traced slow steps towards the ruler of Loric's kind.

"Where's Clank?" Ratchet's inquiring sounded more like a demand than a question.

Orion only stared at him with eyebrows becoming a bit lowered as the corners of his eyes crinkled. A huff escaped him before replying. "I don't intend to harm him. You'll see him in a while."

Treading the granite of the Monument Square in a quiescent, nebulous morning was not so unnerving as Ratchet expected it to be. Aanwathir's marble figure looked indifferent of his surroundings and merely stood on his pedestal carved on onyx and admired the gathering of the clouds, losing his interest in intimidating the restless outlander. The freshening wind welcomed the two of them with a whistle and despite the cold intolerance that was an innate trait of his species, Ratchet felt rejuvenated by the frigid waft which quelled his foreboding.

"A brilliant Lombax Kaden was" Orion began, still wandering remembrance's domains and the simple stroll forthwith acquired a much greater significance for Ratchet, whose ears perked up immediately after hearing his father's name. "I met him on Fastoon many years ago, when our kind still roamed in-between galaxies. You see, we didn't always hide. That came later" the leader mused. Even though Ratchet felt content for having regained his freedom, appreciation failed to manifest from his side as indicated by the few feet distance he kept from Orion and his rather sullen look. "I can't forget the city of your people, so vibrant, so full of life. It's magnificent" Orion reflected back on his carefree days.

" _Was_ " Ratchet corrected. "There's nothin' left but ruins now" he revealed solely a part of his kind's irreparable woe. He decided to change the subject before Orion inquired to learn more, which would only result in re-opening old wounds. "What were you doing on Fastoon?"

Orion stared at Ratchet with wide eyes occupying a more extensive part of his face than normally. "Isn't it obvious?" his low-pitched voice penetrated the air, brashly rivaling the soft howling of the wind. "If you go to Fastoon you're either searching for good engineers or for gemstones. Fastoon was renowned for its gemstone trade. No planet could top it. I was assigned to make staffs for our apprentices so I was travelling all over Polaris to find the materials for months and had the luck to visit your homeworld."

"Gemstones?" Ratchet pondered and a spark of enthusiasm outshined his suspicion as his narrowed gaze faded like an ink droplet falling into water. "Cool."

"Indeed. You could only get the best of the best on Fastoon, precious stones of outstanding quality and nothing less. I met Kaden on Fastoon. He was a bit older than you are now. What a brilliant Lombax, truly intelligent and driven by a continuous existential anxiety. His mind was one age ahead of our own, his questions about life and the Universe more intriguing than those of any philosophical movement" Orion claimed in fervour.

Ratchet's eyes were radiant as haloes with excitement and the wish to find out more about the man he barely knew, yet he seemed to determine his life with such ease even though deceased.

"I shared my beliefs with him and we soon realised we could communicate well, tell our spiritual concerns to one another without the fear of being mocked. I suppose after a while he trusted me enough to tell me there was a secret he'd like to show me" Orion disclosed his reverie about days past. "We soon scheduled our trip to Quantos and there I saw the Zoni."

"Hold on! You mean Kaden had actually seen the Zoni?" Ratchet interjected, shoulders raised due to a sudden surge of energy that rendered his limbs tense.

"They seemed to trust him though he told me they rarely showed themselves, even to him. He said he'd only spoken to them two times. I was able to commune with them, learn some things about the order of the Universe. I got a lot of answers but in the end I was left with more questions. I guess we're made to be never satisfied, it's in our nature to go after what we cannot have. It was an encounter that changed my life. And I'll forever be grateful for that. I only owe this to your father." Upon Orion's confession, his unnaturally violaceous orbs glittered as transparent liquid gathered in them which Ratchet attributed to the intensity of the wind harassing the old man's eyes, declining the possibility of thrill forming tears in them.

As the uneventful walk continued, Ratchet caught a glimpse of the sun beginning to defeat the thick vapors smothering its light and while in its continuous strife it evaded obscurity and partly lit up the sky as it transformed into a pale white discus. The cold wind receded in fear of the rays that were now warming his lean form. The slight illumination of the grey landscape stretched all around reviving the colours and although they were far from surmounting their dusky state, the mechanic's sight perceived this small but exalting metamorphosis as he let his vision feast on the small uprise of the dead nature.

As his narration carried on Orion's words came out steadily, untouched by the change transpiring peripherally. "As a gift to express my gratitude, I created Kaden's Armor. I knew Lombaxes had military affairs so I thought Kaden would find it to be useful. I spent months forging it, searching here and there to find everything I needed. It's made of a material known as Aetheric Silver. It's a very durable alloy, as strong as Raritarium if not stronger yet light and easy to move with. And the ruby, well, Kaden's favourite colour was dark red so I found it fitting to use a ruby for decorative purposes."

Ratchet once again found his world in a swirl, submerged in a quandary, wondering if he should cling to what he knew or embrace the chance to find out more about the true yet the unknown. For years after his reunion with Clank he had believed that learning more about his father or his race was a lost cause that could only end up jeopardizing what he had built up until then. However Orion's disclosures kept making him feel as though he had suddenly regained his vision, like someone had just removed a cloth covering his eyes only to realise he had been walking blindfolded all along and therewithal freed from the dense darkness he could now observe the light, see the textures and cherish the colours for the first time.

A chill suddenly pierced the tips of his ears and as a soft substance melted and moistened his fur on the same spot Ratchet restlessly sought the cause of the algidity that sent shivers down his spine. Viridescent orbs blinked from the soundless descent of snowflakes falling from seemingly crying clouds for their near defeat as they obdurately reassembled into a smoky shroud that sent the sun into a state of torpor once again.

"Unbelievable. It hasn't snowed in decades" Orion opened his palms and let the frigid, white particles land on his hands before transforming into freezing beads. "The Astral Ones are giving us a sign. You are worthy of the Purification you earned."

"And you figured this out because… it's snowing?" Ratchet asked, raising an eyebrow as he failed to conceal his contemptuous mood that took shape in his perplexed look.

"Didn't you listen to what I said seconds ago? We haven't seen any snow in _ages_. I'm telling you, it's a sign from our ancestors" the Grey Mage barked with insistence as his irked spirit was embodied in the firm fists his hands formed, the pressure turning his knuckles rosy red.

"Seriously Orion, it's just snow" Ratchet argued unruffled and raised his shoulders in an instinct-driven urge to withstand the cold.

"Nevermind!" Orion grunted while performing a sharp movement with his hand as a gesture of wishing to dismiss Ratchet's belief. "Your stubbornness is starting to annoy me."

Retracing their steps led to a walk on the familiar set of tiles and with caution due to the now slippery path they returned to the Monument Square. The bleary rays had fled aghast when the coal-grey clouds seemingly reversed the flow of time, turning day into an ever-rising night.

"The last Lombax, uh? Must be quite lonely" Orion's voice travelled softly like the snowflakes harmoniously whirling all around. Little did he know the content of his words turned the air around Kaden's son into noxious effluvium that slowly began messing with the cadence of his breathing.

Angela Cross. He hadn't realised they belonged to the same race at the time and in reality, he didn't really care. He could only attribute such omission to the immaturity he was whelmed by back then which would only lead him to failure even if he tried to pay attention to the signs. Nonetheless, the time of cruel awakening dawned for him as soon as Tachyon set foot on Metropolis but when he tried to search for her, it had been too late. And he was already giving up any hopes of overruling the storm, she had been missing for way too many years to harbour any faith in this cause. Sheltering thoughts of his reunion with her was equal with fain diving into a maelstrom, succumbing to its unstoppable force.

General Alister Azimuth. The days spent with him had defined him profoundly but equilibrium between utter respect and hurtful disappointment, if not even involuntary resentment, made the memories evoke the bitterest of emotions. Forging his own path had always been Ratchet's way of living, fighting the greatest odds bent on keeping the stars away from his reach was the hymn of all his days. But in this age of deterioration during the two years of trying to fill the void the absence of his best friend had created Ratchet felt content with the thought that he had found a mentor to guide him. However, all joyful traces of finally meeting another one of his race were eclipsed when ruthless logicality told him Azimuth had taken advantage of his vulnerability caused by Clank's disappearance and that his only objective was to get to the Great Clock while using anyone that could serve that purpose. Regardless of the disorder equilibrium's shattering noises created in his mind, he would still want to learn so much more about his past and his kind from the General. Forging his path would be much easier. They could search for their race together. His death still scarred him and left him sleepless during some nights.

Kaden. Despite their relation he was, to Ratchet's own dismay, merely a stranger yet the one who had decided to let him live on Veldin, away from his own, away from Polaris, without even his consent. Ratchet found it rather funny; how someone he never got to meet was the alpha and the omega of his existence. Every time he opened the lid of his pocket watch a warm smile of the adventurous Lombax that looked like he was the reflection of his future self greeted him, voicelessly telling him to seize the day. After all, all his strife and eventually his fall had been so Ratchet could breathe into the light of day for many, many years. Following his daredevil wishes was all he could do to honour his poor father's memory.

After retracing his life Ratchet was brought back to reality, a tranquilized look all over his face as though he had the answer to rid himself of the heavy, agonizing burden Orion's words had placed on him. "You get used to it sooner or later. Besides, I have Clank. I couldn't ask for a better family."

"I see. Kaden told me to help you find someone named Azimuth and also another girl in case you came here" Orion exclaimed.

An audible huff escaped Ratchet's mouth, his forthcoming answer shaping a despondent look on his face he didn't wish to be noticed by Orion. "They're long gone" he muttered as he directed his gaze straight ahead.

"It must be rather hard. I admire your strength" the Grey Mage confessed but shortly talked about another issue that was more pressing at the moment, the severity of which made his thick black brows lower as they literally touched the old leader's eyelids. "I think it's about time you learned why I wanted you to find Kaden's Armor. About 26 years ago, Kaden visited me here on Silthrin. He told me he had suspicions that something bad would happen to their planet. He was afraid of an irreversible tragedy. So he told me to expect you and warn you about the enemy."

"Tachyon" Ratchet concluded, almost wincing after pronouncing the Cragmite's name. "I dealt with him a long time ago. Nothing else I can do."

"That's not all" Orion interrupted without hesitating to raise an open palm to prevent the young Lombax from saying anything else. "Indeed Kaden spoke of someone with this name but he also told me something else" Orion added. "He said the Zoni spoke to him again and warned him about a creature of mysterious origins. A dark figure that can manipulate minds, capable of causing great havoc."

Ratchet refused to take another step and his frame remained still as if frozen by the frost of the winter growing in strength and rendering everything on Silthrin under its dominion through the delicate white that covered the planet's surface. "The Unseen Destroyer?" he turned to look at the master as his emerald eyes widened.

"The Zoni told him only his son, though still a newborn at the time, would be able to face him when the time came. They called you the Son of the Stars. Kaden hated that kind of things, he never believed in prophecies. In fact he considered everyone that tried to predict the future a fool. You see, he had the strong belief that nothing is predestined" Orion also ceased walking and as he spoke, his peculiar-coloured eyes were fixated on the young outsider as white flecks landed on his pitch-black hair, incarnating the essence of chromatic contradiction. "He came to me, thinking I was the only one who had the right answers. Or the answers he wanted to hear for that matter. I told him he was really dealing with a prophecy and that you were fated to fight this creature the Zoni told him about."

Worry grew into a disturbing force within Ratchet. He didn't want to believe the Unseen Destroyer's ascension was predicted years ago… and that he was expected to be the one who would lead his reign into dusk. The words alone made his fur bristle beneath the cold, silver alloy of his armor and instead he dedicated the brief seconds of silence to convince himself that his bewilderment from the previous night's ordeal was making him misinterpret things.

 _Heavy footsteps came as a response to the master's claim and after a while, the continuous pounding of angry drums ceased so suddenly Orion blinked twice in agitation. He observed his visitor hiding his face with a gloved hand in a hopeless attempt to keep the shameful desperation shown on his features away from his perception. Orion watched as the outlander thoughtlessly performed one wayward movement after another, the twitching of his tail spasmodic, until he set a wrathful stare at the one native to Silthrin._

 _"You honestly can't expect me to trust in such foolish interpretation and be off" the golden-furred wanderer spat._

 _Orion refrained from drawing back. A childish fear that his friend's glare was ready to emit emerald shards to stab him plagued the integrity of his composure and a forlorn scowl made the first, hardly discernible lines that indicated his age more apparent. "You came to me for answers when you already have them. The Zoni wouldn't lie nor would they speak of impossible things. It's not my fault that you can't accept the facts, Kaden!"_

 _Kaden's eyes widened, turning into windows revealing the confusion which forced his thoughts into a chaotic vortex bound to lead all his actions to serve disarray. "Is this all you have to say?" he tried his best to sound bold but his quivering voice condemned his attempt to utter failure._

 _The distressed Lombax's breathing lost its regular rhythm as soundless sharp breaths hurt his lungs while he strove to suppress them, refusing to cry in front of Orion. A liquid veil covered his normally shining, brilliant eyes, turning the colour in them blurry, subjected to the reign of tears threatening to fall. Kaden stumbled backwards with hands blindly searching for a wall to support himself on. Once a solid surface had been spotted, he allowed himself to lean on it and slide to sit on the floor of the master's archive room. He heard footsteps rushing to his direction but the sound of them only reached his ears faintly as the crumbling of all he had accomplished in his life far surpassed Orion's hasty walking. As soon as he felt a hand touching his shoulder, he wearily let his shoulders sink and allowed his gaze to remain attached to the floor._

 _"I'm afraid, Orion. I have a feeling something very bad will happen" Kaden's voice was as intense as a small flame slowly diminishing, abandoning its lively, radiant existence. "I had a fight with Alister. This… this Tachyon hasn't come to help us. But he's always been headstrong and on top of that he hasn't even been listening to me ever since he became a General." A slight trembling harassed his frame, invading every inch of his body and preventing him from speaking until he could keep his shivering from worsening. "My family is all I have" he looked at Orion's sullen face for the first time after the ravaging storm inside him had quelled._

 _"Then be dedicated to them. Forget about that far-fetched Zoni clock theory of yours and forget about Tachyon. He might not be a threat after all."_

 _It was Kaden's wish to somewhat regain his waning courage by letting Orion's confident and steady voice conquer the disease that spread in his mind and separated him from clarity but his friend's words had little to no effect. A sense of doom cast shadows to every dawn and Kaden couldn't find release from the ominous signs that told him destruction was at hand._

 _"And when this mind-manipulator comes, we'll make sure your son is ready. I promise I'll help him the best I can" was Orion's truthful endeavour to calm the tide that relentlessly swept away his friend's sanity more and more with every passing day._

 _Kaden winced when a painful sting momentarily hurt his chest. The cold in his hands receded as a fiery denial burnt all fear and doubt in him, only for them to leave ashes behind from which resoluteness arose. He uttered his son's name clearly, repeating it with a hint of tenderness that diluted the rage simmering in his voice while he was picking himself up off the floor. "You won't tell him a thing about this. The Zoni are wrong."_

 _"Kaden, listen to yourself!" Orion stood upright as well and spoke as he forsook the will to be compassionate. "The Zoni are beings of Time itself. They are… deities. You've no authority to doubt them."_

 _"I' have no authority to care about my own child?" the Lombax found himself surmounting the shuddering and speaking vociferously. Bewilderment due to the fact that he was in need to be defensive against his own friend didn't affect the fervency of his speech for a second. "Are you asking me to spend my life raising him with the sole purpose of leading him into a battle one day? Next thing you're going to say is I should throw him into a pit full of War Groks!"_

 _"Fine do what you want, fight the Universe's forces if you wish. But one thing's for sure, you can't hide him. The Zoni are wise, their watchful stare set on all over Polaris" Orion managed to bring his tone within the limits of collectedness, his initial anger gradually abating._

 _"I'm not going to hide him from a threat that's not even real, I have more tangible matters to worry about. But if I ever have to I'll do whatever it takes, I'll cross the boundaries of Polaris and find another galaxy if I have to…" As if exhausted by the announcement of his decision, Kaden panted a few times hoping the excessive air he inhaled would soothe the turmoil sending his mind and spirit into the hungry grasp of decadence._

 _When no sound escaped Orion's thin lips to perturb the settling of silence Kaden turned his back on the Grey Mage and headed for the door. The leather of his glove came in contact with the knob of the obsolete door but before he could grip it properly to turn it and walk outside, silence was eventually not permitted to settle. "You never used to worry about tangible matters."_

 _Hearing a realisation he hadn't reached until then sent a violent chill all over him. His hand remained frozen, attached to the knob but lacking the strength to move it, as he abruptly awoke in a reality where he was deprived of all vitality and diligence to seek the intangible, the unseen, the divine and the chthonic. He shut his eyes as though defeat awaited him on the other side of the door. "My father always told me, '_ times change for us and time changes us' _. I failed to understand what he meant, until now." Relinquishing the wish to leave so soon and in a desperate attempt to keep the distance between him and Alister as great as it currently was for a little longer Kaden deigned to look at Orion though with a frown as intense as his quarrel with his best friend had been. "I have some preparations to make, to ensure my son will be safe in any case. If I'm right, if things go astray I'll-" Kaden had to sigh before fully declaring his request. "I'll make sure he ends up finding you and when he does I need you to help him fight Tachyon."_

 _What stood before Orion was the absence of things that weren't there anymore. Instead of looking at a simply distressed Kaden, his vision only captured the lack of vigour in his friend's motion, the missing enthusiasm in the waves that travelled when he spoke, the deficiency in determination and confidence that had guided both of them in only a few yet the most fascinating of adventures Orion could ever dream of. "You can count on me, Kaden."_

 _"And you will never tell him about what the Zoni said. Orion, if you do I won't forgive you" he pointed a finger at the newly-appointed leader of the Grey Mages. The shades and floating dust of the old archive chamber seemed to suit the broken Lombax's mood, the dark shadows in the corners of the lonely room blooming as anxiety left its marks on Kaden's sullen face and empowered them. "Promise me."_

 _Master Orion abstained from giving a fast reply. The words Kaden wanted to hear clashed with his true will and the collision showed itself through a cloud of hesitation that hung over him. The more Kaden waited for a response, the more his mood swung between paralyzing sorrow and fervid rage. The shadows became wider, their covetousness extending their reach closer to the two individuals. If Orion didn't know better he would believe the room was alive and conformed with the outsider's inner struggle, obeying to mirror the apprehension he felt. "You need not worry."_

 _Thinking about his return to Fastoon made Kaden miss the desert landscapes and the endless orange covering the sky at every sunset but his fight with the city's proud General smeared those images in his mind. Reluctance distorted the vibrant sunset and covered the spectacular violet lines and splashes with bleach, washing the colours away. Something dreadful was about to transpire and Kaden could already see masses of smoke descending on Fastoon, suffocating the unsuspected and even the most well prepared. He gritted his teeth, lost in his thoughts as his forest-green orbs narrowed in submission to lugubriousness, no longer staring at the leader. Harshly he turned to head out of the chamber, his rigid walking betraying his unwillingness to embark on his homecoming._

 _"Come back again if you need help. You're always welcome on Silthrin now that you know the way" Orion informed quietly as serenity made his voice sound soft and weightless, ridden of the burden of anger._

 _The exiguity of light transformed the stature of the master's friend to an ebony figure giving the impression he would soon reconcile with the shadows. Orion hardly detected a slight movement of Kaden's head, who was now looking at him from the corner of his eye. "So long, friend."_

 _The door shut gently but for an inexplicable reason Orion almost jolted as if it had been pushed with force. He sighed heavily and rubbed his amethyst-purple eyes as weariness suddenly incommoded his sight. He thought he sensed defeatism in the way Kaden bid his farewell to him, his hope deliberately left here amongst the yellowed manuscripts and beneath the leaden dust. All Orion wished at this moment was that the Lombax would land for a second time on Silthrin to retrieve it. And preferably, soon…_

"I didn't see him again. Four years went by and still no news from Kaden. I grew worried but I wasn't able to visit him. As a leader, I cannot leave Silthrin unless there's an emergency. So I sent a Grey Mage to Fastoon but his ship wasn't given permission to fly within the galaxy's limits. Someone was forbidding people from going in and coming out. It sounded like all of Polaris was under siege. Even trade fell into a state of stagnation. Now I understand your father was right about Tachyon. In our seclusion, we couldn't be certain about his actions and never learned that his terrible reign plagued Polaris for years. So I never searched for you" Orion explained as he recalled the bitter memory of his last encounter with Kaden.

After silently taking everything in Ratchet observed the vast grayness enveloping him and his ears lowered while he pondered the sad situation his father found himself in before his final day. It felt as though the Keeper's despondency travelled through time and was reflected in the immensity of the bleak and colourless lands of Silthrin. Ratchet avoided making eye contact with Orion. He rubbed his elbow and as though gravity's force transcended him he somewhat stooped which made Orion believe frailty from last night's morbid trial began to catch up with him.

"About a year ago, we found out about the Unseen Destroyer's existence. Inhabitants from other parts of Ceilif landed on Silthrin asking for help. Not long time ago we learned that he enslaved Zanimal and made it his sanctuary."

The sky-reaching walls surrounding the Coliseum quickly formed in Ratchet's active mind and the Lombax's stare fell on Orion as a mild frown appeared on his face. He crossed his arms and concentrated on the leader's confessions, calm and resolved save the slight movement of his tail which was the only sign indicating nervousness and discomfort.

"I couldn't forget the Zoni's words. As the years passed by I forgot about them, I even thought they might have been wrong. But when I learned of the Destroyer's arrival it troubled my head. The thought that I was living the beginning of a phenomenon foretold two decades ago left me with no appetite and I was unable to sleep. Then I knew it, I felt it in my gut that I should ignore Kaden's demand and bring you here to help defeat him. So I sent Loric to find you" Orion's voice followed the tune of serenity while he admired the crumbled chunks of marble on various parts of the sterile soil, a faint smile extending to the lower part of his pale cheeks. "And since Tachyon's been dealt with, you can help us." He veered to direct his gaze to Ratchet, who refrained from letting his thoughts imprint their essence on the features of his face and only stared back at Orion with an equivocal expression. "Right?"

The Lombax averted his stare for only a short while and sighed before addressing his question to the leader. "Why didn't you help them?" he inquired in an unfavorable manner, the tone of his voice wavering between discontent and hostility and the more vividly he recalled his conversation with Loric the more boldness intensified the volume of it. "How could you hear people asking for help and just disregard them?"

With eyes now shut Orion shook his head. "I won't justify my decisions to you and I won't even try to make you understand. I did what I thought was the best for our community's security. That is all" he stated with a stolidity that kept his voice unaffected by stings of pity and guilt. "As you understand finding the Armor and going through the Trial of the Sovereign have already cost you precious time and I know that in a way I am to blame. But I believe we should pay attention to the task at hand, now will you stop the Unseen Destroyer?"

"I'm nothing like you Orion so I'd say you're in luck" was Ratchet's crude response.

A wave of alertness surged though him as his senses detected motion that trespassed the colourless vastness behind Orion. Ratchet's head tilted slightly and as his attention transcended Orion's imperious presence his restless stare was fixed behind the master. The traces of suspicion in his eyes melted into bright pools of great affection as they widened and their luster adjusted to the glow of pure diamonds. Before Orion could arch an eyebrow in bafflement he saw a smile of relief softening the usual resoluteness on his face just as the Lombax spontaneously walked past him. Turning around brought him faced with the Grey Mage he had spoken to near the vendor and the joyful mechanic knelt in order to greet the Zoni robot whose nature he had disputed in such orneriness.

Near the reunited friends stood Loric with an aura of relative calmness hovering around him. Agitation was absent from his face and weariness did not triumph over his being even if it didn't forsake it completely. Mirth left its discreet trails on his face as lightly as the snow fell and Loric's lips appeared as if he was barely holding himself from letting them form a merry smile. However, his deep-cyan eyes were lost into a shade of utter contempt and before them floated a cloud as thick as the vapors above their heads. "Good to see you in one piece" he told Ratchet with his ambiguous expression unchanged as his ostentatious mood towards his leader reigned over the tone of his voice.

Upon hearing this Ratchet focused his gaze on Loric. Having neglected to ponder on whether he would forgive him for what the Grey Mage had said about his race before the trail, he blinked while looking at him with uncertainty which as if contagious soon seemed to leave dents and cracks on Loric's firm, unbending attitude. But shortly after, the mild line between Ratchet's eyebrows disappeared as they ceased their furrowing and his mouth curved into a smile. "Good to see you too, Loric."

Though somewhat self-restrained, Clank took small steps sideways with his tiny feet and lay a rather suspicious look on Orion as his one optic lens became narrower than the other. "You believe us?" he hesitantly muttered and took a quick glance at the slippery ground, calculating the distance between him and Orion so as to know if it could be deemed safe.

"I saw you wielding time at the Trial. And this incredible youngster" Orion's voice reached a higher than normal pitch in order for it to integrate with his cheerfulness, much to Loric's justifiable surprise. "He's a spitting image of Kaden" he shook Ratchet's shoulder fondly, who held a composed look and the corners of his lips barely lifted to form a weak smile.

"Clank, we _must_ stop the Unseen Destroyer" Ratchet declared determined during the process of rising to stand back on his feet.

"Loric mentioned that you are aware of locations we must go to in order to defeat him" Clank evoked the morning he and Ratchet modified Aphelion beneath the rays Igliak's sun, repressing the surprise he felt when he realised how far that day seemed, how irredeemably lost it was in time's recesses.

"Although we never came in direct conflict with him, we searched around the Twin Galaxies to find out more about his origins. He's something none of us has seen before" Orion acknowledged the heroic duo as he took casual steps onto the graveled ground. "Don't take this as a definite answer but I have evidence that convinced me he's been created in a laboratory."

"A product of consistent experimental procedures" Clank surmised with a finger on his metallic chin. "But performed by whom?"

"I don't know. We traced a lab on planet Everos. Search for it in the Astarte Galaxy. Careful, _don't_ get confused and go to Triquetta or you'll waste time. It's in Astarte." Orion instructed with a flare of necessity raising the boldness of his voice.

"The star charts are already installed on Aphelion and she can download the coordinates of the lab's location" Ratchet thought aloud and his ear immediately gave into one fidgety movement as his mind raced to remember where Aphelion had landed. In reality the more he imagined himself and Clank taking off and abandoning the cold stones and ashy mists the more his nervous movements became the mirror of his anticipation to be away from Silthrin.

"We will forever be in your debt" Orion articulated with gratitude and Clank spotted Loric eyeing them with the same amount of appreciation the master expressed seconds ago. "Kaden would be very proud to see what you've become, Ratchet. Or should I say-"

Time suddenly came to a halt for Ratchet and he felt like he was trapped in split seconds that refused to breathe their dying breath and become incarcerated in the wide spectrum called past. He clearly saw Orion's mouth open and close but instead of syllables a roaring rumble invaded his ears. His vision wanted him to believe it came from Orion but it was clearly produced by the ground. Ratchet never managed to hear the master's next words and felt like invisible chains forcefully held him frozen to his place. Paralysed by fear his mind was the only part of him still in rapid motion, chasing logicality and chased by delusion. His stun was broken by a deafening bang that shook the earth beneath his feet and made his entire core tremble. Black smothered all shapes and colours. The only sound his hearing received was a perpetual buzz that harassed his ears as well as the noise he himself made in his desperate attempt to force some air into his lungs.

The soles of his boots touched no ground and half of his face felt cold and dump but he couldn't comprehend why. He called Clank's name but his voice barely emerged from the restraints of a whisper. The first thought clarity brought forth into the conscious part of his mind was his friend being harmed. Still into a confining state of blackness depriving him of visual perception, a frenzied urge made Ratchet scratch the tiled ground of the plateau hard. Oxygen finally flowed through him, somewhat taming the despair. One breath and he did feel a small rush of calmness regulating his breathing as it parted with fear's symphony. Two breaths and the incessant droning sound already started to recede.

His eyelids felt heavy but a few blinks rid them off the weight. Ratchet opened his jade-like eyes slightly and the blackness fled but left a blur in its place. As his vision began to focus, the colours materialised into clear hues of white and dazzling golden. Everything could be seen from a horizontal angle which quickly led him to the conclusion that he had collapsed, possibly even passed out. When the blurry haze dissolved and delivered his sight from hindering trance he saw fire joining the snow. Both equally fervent engaged into a violent confrontation as the recalcitrant blaze collided with the thin layer of snow that evanesced in the form of vapors rising from the ground. Wild blasts echoed through the Monument Square leaving everything they touched in nothing but ruins, their crashes echoing the hymn of destruction which was a sound so familiar to Ratchet and Clank.

Fastoon's warrior made an attempt to win the battle against gravity but his knees wobbled and he fell on the ground once again. An intolerable ache momentarily struck his rib cage as he fell with his chest straight on the hard tile which made him clench his teeth to withstand the pain.

A small hand held his forearm and Ratchet immediately turned to his right, his swift movement indicating alarm which vanished in defeat as soon as he saw Clank next to him. The robot was struggling to keep his balance and holding onto Ratchet worked as an effective means of support.

With extreme difficulty Ratchet touched the ground with both palms, then slowly placed them on his knees and pushed in order to stand up. His second attempt proved to be successful and even though he was staggering in a stupor he still managed to remain upright and walk.

A closer inspection revealed a blaze devouring the earth all around and burning near the Monument Square with an unsaturated hunger to tear down all that was made by a Grey Mage's hand. In the heart of chaos Ratchet saw Loric trying to use his staff to stand up and Orion lying on the ground a few feet farther from him. Like amethysts encased into protective shells his eyes were closed, his face was wan and the usual tint of faded lilac took a hue closer to the snow's colour.

Standing on his feet disencumbered Ratchet of the oblivion clinging to him with rapacious hands pulling him back to the ground. With misguided steps he rushed to the fallen leader and shook his shoulders vehemently as if the action would summon his consciousness right back to reality. "Orion, wake up! We're under attack! _Wake up_!" he bawled.

His anguished attempts immersed into futility as Orion reacted to no pleas, his form refusing to revert to movement as winter's soft beads fell on him and slowly began to ostensibly intertwine to blanket his entire figure.

"Ratchet, there is no time. We must counter-attack before Silthrin is completely destroyed" Clank tried to persuade him to take action but Ratchet seemed totally distracted by Orion's state.

Hot liquid harassed Ratchet's eyes and tortured them with a stinging feeling. Lifting his gaze he saw rising smoke encircling him and the toxic fumes hindered his vision. That menacing rumble right before the explosion echoed in his head and the way it stifled the declaration of his name, his _true_ name, haunted his thoughts. A sharp exhale broke free from within as he felt something writhing and twisting from the inside, enclosing his heart and throttling the life out of it like a serpent.

Bursts kept reverberating from the surrounding areas. The crackling of the solid cement resounded with every single blast that eliminated the structures of the Grey Mages' community into mere smithereens, their civilisation razed to rubble and detritus. Despite the mayhem unfolding with vicious sounds composing the call to arms, Ratchet's stare couldn't leave Orion's motionless form.

Beneath war's coal-black smog and by the infernal blasts resonating destruction, the battle for Silthrin had just begun.

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 **A/N: I think I'm running out of metaphors and means of expression so if you detect any flaws in my writing I'd like to know as long as the advice is given politely. And I have yet to watch the movie. Shame on me.**

 **Thank you all for reading, hopefully summer will fix my update schedule. Until next time!**


	12. Leaderless

**A/N: After five months it's here. I'm getting worse at updating. Anyway, hopefully it's something that will compensate you for my long absence. Thank you all for your reviews, they do make a difference in my pace of working and they trigger my inspiration a lot! Honestly, I would be close to abandoning the story if it weren't for your great support.**

 **The battle for Silthrin is here which means there will be detailed descriptions of fight scenes. This chapter is truly rated T. Also, if you're into the metal genre I was listening to Disturbed while writing the battle. You might like to listen to them while reading that part.**

 **Disclaimer: Ratchet and Clank are owned by Insomniac Games. I only own Loric Ellebor, the Grey Mages and the Unseen Destroyer.**

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 **Chapter 11: Leaderless**

"Take him to the Ivory Fortress!" Loric's voice desperately attempted to smother the sound of ceaseless explosions around the group as the flames kept gaining on them and greedily devoured everything they touched, leaving nothing but embers behind.

Orion's form was lifted by two Grey Mages with such great speed the sight could trick anyone into believing the master's state of unconsciousness made him weightless. Ratchet watched as the two forms that carried Kaden's old friend transformed into faded lines only to soon blend into the limitless gray of Silthrin's landscape and be swallowed by the rising vapours caused by the burning snow.

"I could barely detect a pulse in him" Clank announced gravely as he senselessly took a step closer to the Mages' direction, as if he wished to reach the leader but immediately changed his mind.

As he narrowed his optic lenses the light of his gleaming eyes was reduced to the intensity of a candle's small, flickering flame hopelessly striving to cling to its radiant existence. The lack of faith in a positive outcome that Clank demonstrated soon began to have its effect on Ratchet.

"As long as there _is_ a pulse we won't stop trying to keep him alive. We only have to make sure he reaches the Fortress" the slight crackling of Loric's high-pitched voice indicated he had pushed it to its limits while trying to rise above the deafening sounds of the destruction engulfing the Monument Square.

A sudden change in the air attracted Ratchet's keen senses and his entire body suddenly tensed up as an insensible yet forceful wave of energy passed through him. He quickly let his alarmed gaze wander in the vast, colourless sky as he sought for signs of danger that decisively made the atmosphere heavier. The shape of his knuckles became visible on the fabric of his gloves as he firmly clenched his hands. Ratchet's frame was bound to a state of stillness that gave the impression he was refraining from breathing, his pair of emeralds set on the sky as though yearning to penetrate it.

A brief gust brushed his face, signifying yet another unpleasant change in his surroundings and Ratchet's eyelids somewhat lowered right away to shield his sight from the wind's abrupt charge. A swift flinch of his left ear indicated his hearing had recognised a sound that instantly unnerved the Lombax. The crackling of energy sparks dancing frantically and searing everything they came in contact with hindered equanimity from settling within him and all Ratchet did as soon as his instincts warned him of the imminent danger was let his fern-green orbs widen as the foundation he was standing on shook, forcing him to finally move.

"Look out!" his fervent yell rivaled the explosions taking place all around.

A rush of adrenaline manifested itself in the form of a lightheadedness that deprived Ratchet of rational thinking as well as full perception. He instantly dashed to where Clank was standing, his feet carrying him there with so much ease he felt like he was performing leaps on a moon containing no gravity. An electrified iron ball suddenly pierced the sky and at this very second Ratchet caught a glimpse of Loric hiding behind a sizeable chunk of marble that had fallen on the ground. Before he could tell Clank to do the same the sphere approached them with an ever-increasing velocity and plummeted right in front of Ratchet with mere inches keeping instant death at bay.

He shut his eyes tightly and bent his arms forward to protect his face from concrete splinters and the tendrils of electricity which instantly grabbed him like slender claws. The heat emitted by the violent collision spread through the ground like invisible rivers of lava flowing to pull their victims into their fiery depths. Ratchet felt the excessively high temperature trespass the sole of his boots and reach his feet before the powerful turbulence of the earth shattered his balance. One repositioning of his feet and the bending of his knees helped him evade a potential fall but the light-blue sparks crawled on the silver of Ratchet's armor hungrily, bent on claiming its wearer.

The rampant motion of electricity's small, blue lights produced a characteristic sound which Clank's audio receptors picked up immediately. The iron ball had landed too close and the horror of seeing Ratchet significantly injured instantly filled him with the wish to either be far away or for time to stand still. The thought immediately sent a tremor to afflict his diminutive frame and in fear of coming face to face with something traumatizing, he slid the lids of his optics shut and welcomed blackness.

As if hanging by the edge of a steep, deadly cliff, he mustered all of his strength to rise above immobilising fear but the memory of the exorbitant heat's rush plaguing the normal levels of his temperature as well as the thunderous bang transpiring in such close proximity kept his three-digit hands in front of his face. Two seconds elapsed his stationary form and a current of voltage streamed through his sisterboards, scorching away his timidity in the process. The Zoni robot slowly lowered his hands in a languorous manner, the scenery of raging war now revealed before him at its full extent.

A shadow towered him and looking ahead revealed it was created by Ratchet's upright stature. Clank was overloaded with joy and relief, the glow in his circular eyes intensifying as the burden of loss released him from its disheartening effect. He quickly made his way around him to examine his condition and wellbeing, the continuous sound of electric crackling empowering his incentive.

"Whoa… Ratchet? Are you okay?" he struggled to complete his question, metallic mouth left agape as he stared at the Lombax.

Flashes of blue light danced on the alloy of Kaden's Armor while Ratchet stood unharmed with eyes shut and a defensive stance betraying his alertness. Reluctantly he allowed his viridescent orbs to open, surprise overtaking him as lightning's sparks scintillated and slowly faded to non-existence. As soon as the sound of hostile energy trying to put him under its allegiance finally ceased, Ratchet was in a desperate need to breathe deeply as he had been holding his breath all along.

"Wow…" Ratchet let the exclamation of his surprise linger as he blinked in disbelief.

He watched the luster of the ruby become brighter as it pulled the ravenous sparks into its blood-red crystal. The engraved lines on the armor came to life as they became alit with a crimson colour, like sanguine rivers streaming in them for a little while before acquiring a transparent texture then passing into nihility.

"The armor absorbed the electrical force" Loric informed as he lightly stepped out of his safety spot, taking cautious, feathery steps closer to the duo.

"Ellebor!"

Their attention was drawn to a Grey Mage Ratchet and Clank hadn't encountered before; his short hair held a dark shade of blond and from his shimmering, amber eyes Ratchet could tell the smoke had already had its toll on his sight, causing liquid to gather there. A few, hardly discernible lines across his face indicated he was older than Loric but much younger than Orion.  
"The Unseen Destroyer is here. And with an army of nasty-looking creatures" the newcomer squinted his eyes shut and gasped for air as soon as he relayed the information.

"Where?!" Loric interrogated wildly.

"Near the Ancestral Caves. Those savage monsters are pillaging everything. I don't think this is something we can deal with" he confessed with a steadier voice, the inhales he took seconds earlier regulating it to its normal tone.

"Tell the best Mages to hold the perimeter and make a query to your superior for reinforcements to defend the Fortress. We'll be headed to the Ancestral Caves for a full frontal assault" Ratchet ordered, his military instincts instantaneously emerging.

Ratchet's pulse quickened and his whole body was prepared to be surrounded by frantic movement sealing the beginning of their counter-attack. Standing stiff right on the position he was already occupying, the difference between his expectations and reality unpleasantly divided him from his state of alertness and instead, a wave of confusion washed over his vigilance. His shoulders lowered and he sent a hopeless, bewildered stare at Clank in case he could enlighten him about the Mages' demeanor.

However, the robot was too busy attempting to decode the look of utter astonishment on the two Mages' faces. Loric and the other Grey Mage stared at Ratchet with widened eyes.

"What in Aanwathir's name did he just say?" Loric mumbled as quietly as he could manage to the other Grey Mage whose mere response was a shrug that openly declared his cluelessness.

The urge to express his annoyance couldn't be suppressed and Ratchet gave into a lasting growl before attempting to clarify. "Defend the Monument Square and tell whoever's in charge to send help to the Ivory Fortress while we go kick their asses!" he barked, his anticipation to act speeding up his speech.

"Um, we don't have anyone who's in charge during invasions" Loric's explanation came rather belated, in concord with hesitation's pacing. "Our kind hasn't fought any battles in, in…" the tip of his fingers rubbed his forehead as he strove to dive into his memories and recollect the last time the Grey Mages were involved in a war. However his search's outcome proved to be disappointing, thus he gave up on his task quickly. "We actually don't know any military tactics."

"So the closest thing you had to an army was the bots Orion sent to kill me in the Trial." Something told Ratchet what he was about to hear next would leave his arm with an insatiate need to swing his OmniWrench at the Mages and so he sighed before continuing. "Are there _any_ of those left?"

"Now that's a good idea, you could have come up with it before destroying _all_ of them. Was that too much to do, Lombax?" Loric retorted while waving his open palms in the air, the lively movement of his frame signifying concern.

"Please tell me this was a joke and I _might_ forgive you for your awful sense of humor" Ratchet's audibly raised tone held anger behind a feigned beg as his endeavour to reason with the Mages rapidly turned into a barely-won fight to keep his patience intact.

When Clank spoke, Ratchet's palms instantly released their grip and gratitude made them cease forming fists. "You must have _some_ skills that can aid us in defending Silthrin. Your home is under attack. I do not suppose you are willing to do nothing about it."

"Of course not!" Loric claimed fervently, eyebrows lowered to necessitate his statement.

The cold wind found a way to blow through his cloak and the chill darkened his mood, making his thoughts morbid. For some brief seconds, Loric ignored the battle and took the time to watch the fires grow and leave their black stain on the ground they seized. Fences, statues and leafless trees transformed into figures made of coal, reminiscent of desolation, abandonment and decadence.

"Alright" his mouth pronounced the word as naturally as breathing as soon as the realisation that inactivity would turn his homeworld into a landscape reverberating loss killed away the numbness of his legs. "Let's get this over with. I'll organise our defense here. Dytast, you're assigned to protect the Ivory Fortress. You'd better hurry" he instructed the other Grey Mage.

Dytast Scornthrog was about to head for the Ivory Fortress but froze on his tracks, turned around and looked at Ratchet. "Are you sure it's a good military tactic to boot them on their buttocks? They seemed too fierce to be significantly affected by such an action."

Ratchet's eyes twinkled in a mix of confusion and frustration. "It's just an- Ugh, never mind. Let's go, Clank" he changed his mind, thinking it would consume much time to explain he didn't mean it in a literal manner. So instead, he cautiously positioned Clank onto his Hex-mount and walked the opposite direction to face the Unseen Destroyer and his army.

The Monument Square was several feet away from them and Ratchet was now running on infertile soil instead of glazed blocks. The Ancestral Caves were near the location where Aphelion had landed and backtracking the path that had led them to Master Orion the first time had proven a quite easy task. The more they approached their destination, the more ashes they found, remnants of a past blaze reducing everything it touched into gray dust.

Gigantic rocks resembling pyramids with their pointy peak reaching for the sky's undiscovered limit came into sight and Ratchet was quick in recognising the Ancestral Caves. The moment the misty mountains were approached, the sound of bullets violently coming in contact with constructions resonated in the entire area. Into the chaotic commotion that spread its reign beyond the caves Ratchet heard the sounds that instantly made an image materialize and play out before him; bricks loudly colliding with the ground and the heavy footfall of hundreds synchronizing to the incessant pounding of war drums.

"I don't like what I'm hearing, Clank. Their numbers must be great" Ratchet reacted to the sounds of the malign actions with a rising reluctance that refused to let him move further whilst his ears slightly dropped.

"You are right. However, they do not know we are here. We could use this to our advantage and disorientate them with a surprise attack" Clank advised as he scanned the terrain around him and assessed the level of destruction the enemies' plundering had caused.

"Good thinking."

Sneaking closer to the army, Ratchet could hear his heart beating loudly against his chest. His senses sharpened, vigilant, narrowed eyes observed his surroundings and excessive energy flowed through his entire body. His feet felt steady and strong, prepared to run when necessary and his breathing was soundless and shallow. His whole being was ready for combat.

A few more steps ahead led him to the point of no return. They were much closer to the pandemoniac raid now and no retreat was achievable. The hostile battle between fire and ice raised heavy smoke and vapours that mixed with the mist, viciously welcoming the two into its insane masquerade. Ratchet's visual perception was significantly hindered but he was determined to allow no failure. He carefully crawled behind a rock and remained hidden there for a while to evaluate the odds that were against them.

He crept out of his hiding place only slightly so he could spot his enemies but he could see nothing beyond the thick fog. Ratchet hid behind the rock again fast and groaned in irritation, his mind racing to find a solution to his plight. He couldn't strike blindly, all that would do was reveal their position and make them lose their only advantage. An idea soon came forth and Ratchet's now hopeful attitude showed in the ardour of his movements.

He opted for his Plasma Striker and positioned it right on the rock he was crouched behind, afterwards he looked through the scope of the weapon.

"Activating thermal sensors" he muttered the course of his actions quietly and eagerly awaited the results of the new modification he had made to the sniper.

The scope's lens revealed figures in red colour as the sensors picked up the temperature of the invaders. Ratchet didn't bother holding back a sly smirk now that he had outwitted the mist. He had sight where his enemies were blind and instantly Silthrin's environment had become his ally.

Among the maroon shadows Ratchet distinguished a bulky creature, with a stature far bolder than the rest of the squad. He studied the motion of his large arms, vehement and swift, and subsequently separated the individual from the rest of the raiders as one with a higher rank, probably some sort of commander. His vulnerable spots were revealed thanks to the scope's advanced technology. Steadily Ratchet kept the weapon perfectly still, his mind focused only on the upcoming assassination. He set his finger on the trigger and aimed at the weak spot he was most likely to succeed firing at.

As immoral as a cold murder seemed to his mind, the need to defend Silthrin's inhabitants was far greater than to keep the integrity of his ideals intact. His eyebrows furrowed a little more when he thought of the Unseen Destroyer savagely marauding everything that was built by a Grey Mage's hands. He reassured himself that his deed would be an act of self-defense, an iniquitous necessity to restore balance and prevent a great evil from gaining more power. An entire brotherhood depended on his actions which left him with no option of avoiding extreme settlement of matters. This thought alone left him devoid of any doubt, the absence of hesitation evident in the firm positioning of his finger on the weapon's trigger.

Abruptly, with an open remorselessness he applied pressure to the trigger.

A sudden jolt plagued the chief's form as a wild tremor penetrated his body before it gracelessly hit the ground. The rest of the carmine figures gave into frantic movement and at this moment Ratchet drew away from the scope's convex glass and stared at the mist's depth with a smile revealing contentment for the outcome of his cunning. Disarray prevailed in each motion coming from the invaders and Ratchet could feel the waves of utter bewilderment reach him which only magnified his illicit satisfaction.

"Ratchet" the Lombax heard Clank call his name with a rather alarmed tone. "I detect movement right behind you."

The experienced fighter turned around to inspect the area as warned. Despite the light haze hovering around, the denseness of the mist was not so intense in the terrain behind Ratchet.

"I don't see anyone" his silent, hesitant statement contradicted Clank's suspicion.

Clank, elevated as he was from the ground, found something intriguing about the usually pale white sky. Blackness tainted the snow-coloured atmosphere as stains of unforgiving fumes floated towards the imprisoned by clouds sun. Before he could register the normal passing of seconds, purple particles instantly appeared and swirled with a frenetic velocity to momentarily stabilize and take the shape of a stout creature. The robot's recognition as well as his attempt to yell out a warning came belated as sharp claws grasped Ratchet's shoulder, endeavouring to force his talons beyond the armor's surface and into the Lombax's skin before yanking him down on the ground.

Ratchet was completely unprepared for the ferocious pull which made him drop his Plasma Striker. The impact sent an instant yet piercing pain though his rib, making him cry out as soon as he felt the hard contact with the ground. His perception was keen but slow because of the shock. Sounds, smells, the pain itself all were augmented by his consciousness.

He thought of Clank, his small frame compressed on the soil. Hurriedly he moved so as to stand up but his somewhat numb legs submitted to his will a little later than he wished. He began his attempt by pressing his elbows against the ground until Clank was free from his predicament but it was cut short by the sound of a single gunshot.

Frozen in his place, Ratchet's emerald eyes became wide open. The first thing he caught sight of was the barrel of a weapon gripped firmly by a sturdy form who was pointing it directly at his head. But he felt unharmed and no blood covered his face as far as he could tell. He purposely took a deep inhale in order to listen to himself breathing and welcomed the effect of the great ounce of air swelling his lungs; he was alive.

His chest heaved spasmodically due to his rapid breathing as the identification of his potential assassin's species along with the fact that a bullet had been fired straight in his head yet inflicted no injury spread like venom, befogging his mind and paralysing him completely.

"No way…" Ratchet's disbelief acquired substance through a disheartened murmur.

Decisively he eluded his petrifying state and pushed the sole of his boots on the ground, managing to stand up quickly. The same, appalling gunshot was heard for a second time and at the same moment the Lombax blinked as he reacted to the violent disruption of the relative stillness wavering in the air. The bullet's course ended before it reached its destination as a light-blue barrier forthwith surrounded Ratchet and Clank and a blue glint emanated from the lines carved on silver that seemed to tie together harmoniously on the armor's surface.

The force shield produced by Kaden's Armor dissipated right when the bullet was deflected, disappearing as soon as it had served its purpose. The light flowing in the symmetrical engravings also dimmed down gradually before it died out completely. Ratchet wasted no time and ran away from the invader with all of his might. Instead of charging straight into a chase, Ratchet glimpsed behind him and saw that his assailant acquired the Plasma Striker for himself and dematerialized into purple molecules, causing his form to vanish.

"I don't believe it!" Ratchet gasped as he hid behind fallen ruins of once standing buildings. His voice hardly emerged from his throat as he was struggling to breathe. "Those are-"

"Cragmites" Clank finished silently, with a voice restrained by apprehension. In the meanwhile, he sought for approaching enemies so they wouldn't become victims of one more unexpected attack.

"But how?" Ratchet questioned while carefully slipping out of his hiding place to ensure they hadn't been followed. "I thought there were only a few left on Reepor."

"They must be working for the Unseen Destroyer now. What I do not understand is how they managed to increase in number since most of them are still in the Dimension X2-49" Clank pondered, turning his head to some extent so he could partially look at Ratchet.

"Could _he_ have brought them back?"

"I do not believe anything regarding inter-dimensional travel is involved here. However this is exactly what troubles me. Where did he find all those Cragmites?" The brilliant green light of Clank's optics became partly obstructed by the look of anguish they adjusted to. "It does not matter" he shook his head and resoluteness replaced disquietude as he set a determined stare skyward to escape his quandary. "What matters is that he is causing chaos and that we are the only ones who can stop him. I am sure he is planning to take control over more planets. Silthrin is only the beginning. And he already has Zanimal."

Sending a hostile scowl at his kind's sworn enemies Ratchet let ire take control. His deep green eyes sheltered an angry flare as they narrowed to come in concord with the boldness that stiffened his limbs. "Let's make him have second thoughts then."

Taking a tight hold of his Constructo Shotgun, Ratchet embraced the effects of adrenaline which streamed through his system and blurred his clarity. Survival instincts unleashed a red haze that unimpededly induced him to immerse himself into the mayhem of gunfire and destruction. Ratchet's steps were focused and lacked any trace of faintheartedness. His weapon was held firmly, almost dearly as though it was a natural extension of his hand. His senses screamed, yearned for the trigger to be pulled and for ravaging pandemonium to be let loose from the barrel. Raising his weapon Ratchet willingly assumed the role of the bringer of war and sealed the beginning of Silthrin's resistance when the Constructo Shotgun spewed the first set of bullets at the Cragmites.

Unstoppable and set on their course, they collided with the first hard skin that would be torn in this battle. Ratchet's pacing hastened into a run as every pull of the trigger sent a wave on his forearm that made his muscles there become tense, resulting in a wicked satisfaction that kept him going deeper into the heart of disarray. He watched some of the reptilian-looking creatures transform into violet grains and fly all around him from every corner while four of them remained fixated on their original position and lifted their heavy guns, firing before the Lombax in front of them could register the danger charging ahead to clutch him and send him in the afterlife.

Ratchet performed a high jump on his right and landed after an airborne flip. His consistence in keeping his weapon firing was incessant. For a moment he saw the world through a transparent force containing a pale-blue iridescence and confirmation that some of his enemies' bullets had reached him, though never harmed him, came from the blue glow of his armor's lines.

Refusing to even try and forsake this semi-conscious state that pushed him forward and eliminated all fear of dying, he ignored all the barrels that spat out deadly beams from the boiling, fiery pit they enclosed and chose to continue the fight with his Dual Omniblasters which would allow him to aim at more than one target. His arms ascended to the level of his chest to protect his right and left side with an Omniblaster held in each hand firmly as he shot cold glares at the Cragmites that had regained their material form and surrounded him. Ratchet bared his teeth as the constant flow of adrenaline became too much for his body to handle and eventually began straining him instead of aiding him. His acute reflexes captured hostile movements and a slight motion of the weapons held by the Cragmites was enough to make Ratchet give into blind, impetuous impulse and press his index fingers. His handguns instantly generated fiery blasts at his enemies and soon he paid the price as a rain of bullets was fired at him with equal temerity.

Ratchet ran to evade the igneous rainfall bent on igniting its mark through him but the cerulean, translucent barrier rivaled the excessive velocity of the deadly laser beams and blasts and in the end, kept them away from the Lombax. Instead, it was Ratchet's bullets that were the first to damage any pieces of armor and penetrate flesh. When the smell of blood and sizzled skin invaded Ratchet's nostrils his fur bristled at once and a chill ran through his spine at the sudden realisation that he was soon bound to turn living creatures into empty, cold shells littering the colourless land of Silthrin.

He performed a backward flip in an attempt to detach himself from the blazing hail targeting him but the force shield remained activated, meaning he was failing to avoid enemy fire. The tiny, purple particles were all around Ratchet and turning to look at every angle brought him opposite of swarms that quickly morphed into Cragmite warriors. Despite the countless bullets fired at the Lombax his Dual Omniblasters inflicted the first severe injuries and before his ceaseless firing could come to an end a few bodies fell on the ground, staying unresponsive and unmoving, now unaffected by the insane, maddening motion of battle.

His legs weren't given the chance to rest not even for a second, so the first stings of exhaustion began to render them weak and unstable. Ratchet ignored his body's warnings and refused to submit to stillness, as tempting as it was, for he knew motionlessness could be his death sentence. He defied the fatigue that plagued his frame and clung to every breath he could manage to take, thus gaining enough strength only to keep moving.

That clicking sound announcing there was no more ammunition made his heart skip a beat every single time. And just when he got used to the subtle, light-blue glow guarding him it disappeared harshly, leaving him exposed to his enemies' untamable wrath. As he dashed away from the armed Cragmites he made a quick inspection of the armor's lines and noticed that any kind of bluish glow was absent.

"It looks like the force shield has a limit regarding the damage it can withstand" Clank surmised when he saw the bullets now fly dangerously close to Ratchet, a couple of them even hitting him thankfully on parts covered by the silver alloy. "Once this limit is surpassed the shield automatically shuts down so it can recharge and becomes activated when it is operational again. Such procedure will certainly require several minutes to be fully completed."

"Well, that means I'll have to be more careful" Ratchet panted as he seized the opportunity to prevent any more bullets from striking him by hiding behind a ramshackle building.

The Zoni robot's optic lenses became partially shut from both their higher and lower halves, acquiring an ironic expression. "You are never good at being more careful."

"Have a little faith, Clank" Ratchet's remark slipped out of a cocky smirk while he equipped his Blitz Gun to commence the next phase of his battle with the Cragmites.

The moment Ratchet rushed out of his hiding spot he barely took the time to focus on a target and solely performed another guiltless pulling of the trigger so he could let the arcs of fiery-red lightning scatter around and burn their way through the tough exterior of the Cragmites. The speed of the weapon's feral shots far exceeded the pace in which Ratchet's rivals could dissolve and teleport. He raced against split seconds as he continued firing his large weapon, sending more and more Cragmites into inescapable unconsciousness before they could manage to metamorphose into a throng of violet flecks.

"Ratchet, get down!" Clank's warning transcended the realm of normal speech, rising to a desperate effort to keep his reckless friend safe.

Right on time Ratchet bent his knees and glimpsed upwards. He neglected to suppress a curse when he saw that he had just saved his head from a Leviathan Flail's cylindrical head swung where he was standing split seconds ago. The sight of the ball's somewhat rusted spikes brought an unpleasant image in his mind; them coming in contact with his head. Ratchet's shoulders rose involuntarily as a reaction to the violent goosebumps running through every inch of his body.

Taking advantage of the momentum of the heavy weapon's wielder Ratchet allowed the Cragmite to stumble forward before he himself could rise. Without wasting a single second he switched to his trusty OmniWrench and struck his enemy as hard as his overexerted arm would let him. The Lombax almost sighed in relief when he saw the Cragmite collapse on the ground to join the rest of his fallen kin. For a moment he feared his body would betray him and that the force wouldn't be enough to drag the large Cragmite into senselessness.

Ratchet's endless efforts to stay separated from stillness made the scenery in front of Clank ever-changing as a different sight emerged from the whirling blur each time his friend engaged in a swift movement. However what remained unaltered with every single spin was the crowd of armed Cragmites charging to take down the last of the Lombaxes. Clank sensed intense movement on Ratchet's right shoulder blade and listening to the familiar sound of intermittent electricity sparks that accompanied each curt motion quickly led him to believe his partner had opted for the Lighting Ravager. Mentally he tried to reassure himself everything was in control; that despite the angry crowds surrounding them Ratchet knew exactly what he was doing and that it was just one more battle in which they would be the last ones standing, free to observe in either admiration or a sense of reluctant triumph the empty space the both of them created.

Clank's attention was drawn away from the battle when his watchful stare fell on gigantic constructions. He tilted his head and let his optic lids slightly cover the shine of his green lenses as calculations regarding the large structures appeared on his visual receptors. Cragmites were hauling three sets of colossal, heavy machinery made primarily of alloy steel with high magnesium content and partly protected by components made of Carbonox, a manufacturing tactic that made them both relatively light and extremely hard exteriorly.

As Clank observed the machines more and more he quickly managed to associate their manner of construction with the science of ballistics. His metallic jaw somewhat dropped when he noticed huge iron spheres right next to the slowly moving machine. The calculations attached to his sight suddenly lost their meaning when his memory banks evoked the event taking place several minutes ago; Clank's circular eyes widened as much as possible when he remembered the electrified ball launched right into the Monument Square that almost took Ratchet's life.

"They really do want to destroy everything on Silthrin, or worse, _kill_ everyone…" his silent muttering was muffled by the unrestrained sounds of war.

"What was that?" Ratchet's shout persistently emerged from the sound-related anarchy born by blasts. When his electroshock whip's energy had drained, he promptly grasped his OmniWrench to deliver the final blow on the sole Cragmite closest to him.

"We have to render these catapults out of commission" Clank's proposed objective was conveyed more loudly and since Ratchet's fighting was temporarily over he had been able to listen to his robotic partner.

The Lombax moved a little to detect the aforementioned catapults. With very little effort he spotted the enormous mechanisms and shortly, he recognised the globular projectiles that were shot at the Monument Square. His fingers stretched on the OmniWrench's handle to allow him to tighten his grip. "I hear ya."

"Their material is very hard so I do not think they can be destroyed by using the resources we have available. However I believe some heavier firepower should be enough to dismantle them" Clank informed after accessing the data he had gathered, even if he no longer had his eyes set on the catapults. His voice though failed to transfer the certainty he usually spoke with.

"You sound too worried" Ratchet's expression adjusted to that of enthusiasm when a devious smile appeared on his face. With his OmniWrench already in his weapon locker, he had already decided which weapon was to be used next. "You know this is my favorite part."

Not surprised by his friend's reaction all Clank could do was stare ahead with optic lenses adapting to what was close to indifference. "That is exactly why I am worried."

The Warmonger's weight added to the weariness that traversed through every part of his arms and his strenuous endeavour to keep himself and Clank alive excruciated them to the point Ratchet could feel his own veins throbbing. Yet with ears raised vertically in unbearable anticipation and with his foolhardiness showing in his devilish smile he embraced the upcoming effect that the loud explosions and crumbling metals would have on his mood and willingly turned loose the livid missiles.

As the first set of rockets collided with the first oversized catapult Ratchet marveled at the thousand ferocious sparks that emitted from the now stained steel. He delayed to unleash the next set of missiles in order to admire the destruction he had created, his lips parted while he stared at the rampant lights reflected in his eyes that now looked like forests catching fire. He thought the sparks had somehow become alive as they cascaded over the Cragmites dragging the huge construction and clung to them, turning them to tall lanterns for only an instant before they dimmed down to obscurity.

Using the diversion the sparks had caused to his own benefit the defender of Silthrin released the missiles from their confining position and they flew with velocity towards the distracted enemies. They scratched the surface of fallen pieces of marble, leaving a sizzling trail of ash before hitting the raiders and reducing them to nothingness.

"Alright! One down, two more to go" Ratchet declared when he watched the device's evenly sized components roll away from each other before halting to remain dispersed on the ground. He ascertained himself no Cragmite was in the vicinity and thereafter he targeted the second catapult.

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

He watched. The wind blustered against him and he sensed the sheer coldness of the recurrent gusts trying to freeze his blood, yet it boiled. He felt the fluid crossing his veins was as hot as melted gold, as if it borrowed the heat from all the fires surrounding his soldiers on the battlefield. The hood of his black cloak fell in soft folds to cover the upper part of his backbone, his face exposed to the frigidness of the wind. His rough features twisted to an expression of resentment but the cold had little to do with it.

The altitude of the spot he was standing on allowed him to supervise the enterprise that would hopefully lead to Silthrin's subjection. However the distant echo of the second crumbling catapult affirmed he was far from achieving his objective. As his black eyes began losing their focus they faintly twinkled like waters that reflected a moonless nighttime sky and his head turned to each side disapprovingly. He inhaled deeply, hoping it would frost his insides but to no avail. Anger still made his blood seethe.

He wanted Silthrin. His goal had been reached, what he had been instructed to do was done. But fulfillment never came. Something rebellious protested restlessly, screaming for more, much more power. He had obeyed but the incentive to leave was absent. He also wanted to conquer. He wanted to own the minds of the Grey Mages he spent months trying to read and manipulate. But _they_ were standing in the way.

His skin prickled by a rush of heat that moved downwards and eventually bestirred his feet as one of them moved forward to be followed by the other. He walked carefully down the slope and descended to the level of the unraveling madness. His coal-black eyes stared at the Cragmite soldiers that had either fallen or become victims of the disarray the Lombax's ceaseless fire released, their onslaught countervailed by his seemingly unbreakable resistance.

His unexpected appearance put all paranoid, battleborn motion into a halt save the blaring of the collapsing metal parts. The missiles of his enemy's weapon remained secured and attached to the gun when the destination of his course was reached. He watched his opponent store the Warmonger into his weapon locker before turning around.

Enemies were still around him yet their uncompromising desire to bring him down had been somehow sated. Ratchet knew something was amiss, the highly alerted and even somewhat worried looks on his enemies' normally hard faces was the only confirmation he needed.

Sensing the unsettling stillness as well Clank detached himself off Ratchet's harness and momentarily his little feet touched the ground with a clinking sound. He raised his head and witnessed the empty yet penetrating glare of the Unseen Destroyer set on him during his march to their direction. His systems began overheating when the memory of his interrogation on Zanimal played out in his mechanical mind. His tiny fingers curled within his palms tightly while at the same time Ratchet also shifted his point of view to lay his eyes on the warlord.

His gaze immediately fell on the visible eye sockets that looked like they encased one polished onyx stone each. Ratchet's skin crawled when he realised he was looking at the Unseen Destroyer himself, a sensation that intensified and plagued his form even more when he saw his cheek bones protrude excessively from his grayish-cyan skin that looked so hard the sight of it made Ratchet imagine someone sculpting it on tough stone. While he did resemble a Cragmite, the Lombax could tell he was something different.

His stolid, lusterless eyes lingered on Clank insistently and Ratchet feared the effect his expressionless stare could have on his friend. He recalled the voices coming from the inside of his head, calling from within his ears as they flourished in a state that existed in a disharmonic coalescence of sleep and faint consciousness. What was on the Unseen Destroyer's mind and what he needed from Clank was beyond him but all the negative possible outcomes which taunted Ratchet with an image of Clank getting damaged made him wish he would never have to find out.

With rushed steps he made his way in front of his Zoni partner and as if his movements had triggered some sort of chain reaction something pierced the air with inconceivable speed. It formed a radiant line as it flew one or two inches farther from his head. The black within Ratchet's green orbs spread swiftly to cover the brilliant forest hue as the pupils of his eyes dilated.

"Hold your fire!" the Unseen Destroyer's thickly voice surpassed its normal volume of speech, giving sound to his unequivocal disapproval.

Ratchet tracked down the blast's course and noticed a hole that had formed on the edifice of a partly destroyed building. The smoke around the charred dent helped him identify the type of projectile fired at him; a bolt shot by his own Plasma Striker.

He wore a hostile expression when his gaze fell back on the Unseen Destroyer. His brows were pressed against his upper eyelids and applied pressure right above his nasal bridge as he glowered at the Cragmite leader who finally removed his blank stare from Clank's form.

"I was hoping you'd survive from that remote moon" he sneered as he slightly raised the corner of his upper lip. "There are so many things stored for you I'd hate for it to end before it even begins."

A conversation was not what Ratchet believed would transpire the day he would have to encounter the figure from his nightmares. It was hard for him to believe the spectre that had so easily gained access to his darkest memories as well as his own mind possessed flesh and bones and was bound to the mundane. "I don't mind spending a few days ruining your plans. Just make sure you keep it challenging, I get bored easily" he provoked him, refusing to drop his guard.

His mask of apathy became somewhat distorted by Ratchet's bold remark, like calm waters that suddenly lost their smooth, silky surface in the turbulence of waves. "Save your wit. It may come in use when you go to Everos."

It required more effort than expected to suppress a gasp when his enemy's words ceased floating away from his mouth. Ratchet had dealt with a great number of overly ambitious violators and he knew no one was careless enough to disclose vital clues or crucial information that could endanger their work. He may have already gotten his lead but the mention of Everos from the Unseen Destroyer was a misstep which Ratchet suspected was not accidental. The air he breathed seemed to dry up his throat when he thought that the location's name had been referred to deliberately.

"Your operation here has failed. Leave Silthrin at once" it was Clank's turn to fix a persistent stare on the warlord and align himself with Ratchet on his endeavour to keep further destruction from occurring.

"I don't get told what to do by a walking backpack!" his voice rose to high levels as a perpetual frown sharpened his features and made the intense angles of his face even more discernible. Before speaking again he managed to make his voice settle to a quieter tone. "Though I must admit, I didn't expect you two to pull through this effort of resistance."

A peculiar quietude left its marks on the Unseen Destroyer's speech and movements as he gave the impression of adapting perfectly to the destroyed, war-struck environment around him and actually enjoying its apparent prevalence. He caught glimpses of demolished structures and exposed an ill-concealed, satisfied smile before he turned his attention on his main target. "It's been a while since you and I had our little chat, right Ratchet? You may have come quite far but you're still nameless and without a purpose. What I told you is true; I _am_ the death of ignorance."

The Lombax's angered expression turned into a wince that made him seem as though he had stepped on a thorn as soon as the reminder of his intimidating dreaming hindered the normal flow of his thoughts. "How did you get into my mind?"

"It wasn't easy but it wasn't impossible either. I had to find some subjects to practice on. My creator's work led me straight to the Grey Mages" he began though without abandoning the threatening hissing accompanying his low-pitched voice and with his vacant stare enchained to Ratchet's own eyes.

"When I succeeded in manipulating the minds of a couple of them I knew I was ready to get to you. And as it seems, it was enough to convince you to come to Ceilif. But during my mind-manipulation attempts I discovered that the lifespan of a Grey Mage is about 1,300 years, incredibly long for an organic being. The knowledge they acquire through their lives is huge and of course, I was tempted to come back and harvest all of it. Knowledge grants power."

The slim creature approached Ratchet slowly and the closer he got to him the more he unknowingly clenched his teeth and his voice plunged into a deep, despising tone. "And power is what I seek. Maybe I failed on this one but my main objective has been achieved; their leader is dead."

With no signs of timidity Ratchet's glare sunk right into the eyes of the army's leader. He felt his silently boiling rage turn to a massive torrent that was slowly gaining control over his relatively still frame, empowered by the instinct of opposition. His OmniWrench was at the ready as he waited for one abrupt move, one strike from the Unseen Destroyer to make him dive straight into combat. He felt someone was going to go down for good. He didn't know if there was turning back but he didn't plan on doing so even if there was. He was determined to live to be able to say he once stared right into the eyes of his own nightmares and succeeded in facing them. However his expectations clashed with reality when the warlord engaged in his next action.

"I no longer see a reason for us to remain here" he uttered and thereafter shifted his body to the direction of the hill he had come from, his stare that was locked on Ratchet finally leaving him with a delayed pace.

As if resounding from the depths of the earth, the remaining army commenced their coordinated march that generated the war drum sequence. The ominous sound began transforming into an echo as the rest of the Cragmite warriors followed their warlord. Still in range, the Unseen Destroyer was being watched by a pair of narrowed eyes and feeling Ratchet's perpetual glare on his back seemed to send mild stings through his frame. Despite the uncomfortable state the Lombax dragged him in he refused to expose his uneasiness and continued his walking in an ostensible unawareness.

Worry and apprehensiveness forsook his small stature, making Clank feel ten times lighter than before. A surge of relief washed away the morbid thoughts as victory made his system slightly yet pleasantly overheated. "We have succeeded" a gentle tone accompanied the realisation his CPU was trying to catch up with. Joy settled within his optics as they adjusted to an open exhibition of it. "We drove the Unseen Destroyer away from the Grey Mages and their homeland."

He folded his hands together in eager celebration and looked at Ratchet but the triumphant expression he was expecting to see written all over his friend's face wasn't there. Ratchet followed the Unseen Destroyer restlessly with a wrathful glare, eyebrows stubbornly pressed closer together while he attempted to regulate his rising anger with a steady panting. He heard Clank call out his name to draw his attention but he refused to submit to the distraction and instead, kept his focus on the Cragmite leader.

The sense that overtook Ratchet was conflicting to Clank's thoughts about the outcome of the fight. The enemy had survived and was free to carry on with his involuntary retreat. This resonated defeat to Ratchet, failure in its most scornful form. "If we let him walk away we've achieved nothing. We're nowhere near stopping him than we were before Loric found us" his voice became uncharacteristically low-pitched, affected by the difficulty to contain his fury. He shot an abrupt glimpse at Clank whose expression indicated that he felt troubled by Ratchet's attitude. "Orion might be dead by now and it will be for nothing if we let him get off this planet!" he went on fervently before the robot could manage to contradict his point.

Usually Clank's approval helped Ratchet carry on with his decided course of actions, motivated him to push forward into the clutches of any kind of danger as he knew he was sharing the fight with his long-time partner. This time he saw doubt in Clank's optics but unexpectedly enough it was insufficient in extinguishing Ratchet's resoluteness. The thought of letting the Unseen Destroyer escape left him with an urge to blast everything on sight. He wouldn't dare feel pride for his actions should he allow the Cragmite to flee unhindered. His mind had been made up. Ratchet was convinced that merciless warlord had to die right there and then.

He tightened his fingers around the trigger of the Netherbeast weapon and raised his arm. A quivered breath escaped his lips as he securely let his palm clasp the handle of the weapon in fear of loosening his grip on the trigger. While taking careful aim he reassured himself he was doing the right thing by exploiting the fact that his enemy had turned his back on him, as unethical as it seemed.

Ratchet's arm moved fiercely while in the same time he pressed his finger on the trigger so forcefully his muscles overstretched and made his arm jolt. As the Nether creature broke free from its bindings Ratchet's entire frame seemed to be swept away by the momentum of its vehement release and he briefly followed its course before returning to stillness.

He saw a bright, purple aura follow the small Nether as it ravenously rushed to clench its target. The next thing he witnessed was the Unseen Destroyer turning around fast. And then glowing violet overflowed from nowhere and blocked his sight as an excessive brightness blinded him.

A burning sensation began crossing his legs, then travelled upwards to his torso. The rapid stream of energy seemed to scorch his chest before ending up inside his head, causing an unbearable ache that made him shut his eyes.

He heard an anxious cry seemingly from a distance and took him a couple of seconds to recognise his voice in it. He felt his knees sharply coming in contact with the ground and an unwanted dizziness kept him disoriented.

After a few seconds he reluctantly opened his eyes and raised his head wearily. The sight he encountered was the Unseen Destroyer staring down at him. His soldiers had all gathered to surround him and the cold he felt on the back of his head was enough to ascertain him there was a cylindrical barrel of a weapon which physically touched him. His mind had been unable to perceive that his opponent had somehow managed to change the course of the Nether and order it to attack him instead but in any case he felt glad he hadn't opted for his Warmonger.

"His shields are still off. Shall we execute them both?" Ratchet heard the one aiming him with his gun inquire.

He quickly turned to his right harbouring a rather contrived hope that Clank had in some way managed to escape before the warlord and his army returned but as expected, he saw his robot friend stand next to him and angrily glare at the Unseen Destroyer as another Cragmite warrior aimed at his little head with a weapon.

Ratchet looked at his friend with worry and guilt began to settle in but before his gaze could linger on Clank he felt a violent pull as the Unseen Destroyer yanked him forward to compel him to stare into his infuriated face.

"I could let them plant bullets on you and your pathetic robot, then I'd skin you with my own bare hands. But my creator wouldn't want this to happen. Yet…"

He pushed Ratchet downwards so he could force him to fall on the ground. Ratchet clenched his teeth tightly. He wanted to believe it would be enough to vent out all the frustration and rage the Unseen Destroyer had left him with but it didn't seem to fully work. He heard pairs of boots create a distance as the Cragmites moved behind their leader.

"I don't know who helped you leave from Zanimal and I can't be bothered to interrogate all suspects" the Unseen Destroyer's voice seethed yet came out steadily, characterised by the unnerving calmness he frequently spoke in. "So I will make sure all of them pay for their disobedience."

 _'No…'_

He managed to discreetly glimpse at Clank whose woeful expression reflected his own feelings, like an inner mirror. The sandy, sparkling lands of Zanimal and the faces of Egandor and Asyrian cruelly necessitated what he had just delivered into danger's hands. Suppressing a heavy sigh Ratchet let Clank slip out of his view and eyed the Unseen Destroyer while struggling to stand up.

The unhealthily pale face of the Unseen Destroyer contorted due to a malevolent smile and his bony cheeks reacted as they wrinkled, making his face look deformed. Ratchet even came to believe his facial muscles were incapable of adjusting to such an expression.

"We'll meet again, Ratchet" poison seemed to drip from his tongue through a hostile, hoarse voice. Thereafter he motioned at his remaining army to resume their retreat.

His back once again turned on him. Ratchet was yearning to attack but he had already proven this would only be a strike to himself. Instead he spoke with a burning hatred that he hoped would openly show through his tone, wishing it would be enough to perturb and agitate him. "Don't keep me waiting."

A dusty cloud floated a little higher from the ground and the specked by ashes snow melted due to the heat the thrusters emitted. The place around temporarily darkened as a great amount of starships covered the faint light of the sun that was already fighting against the clouds. The sound of engines echoed all around before fading completely, leaving Silthrin to dwell on the desolation they had left it with.

Ratchet placed his palms on his knees for support and let a brief, nervous laughter reveal his relief. "For a moment I thought he'd spare us the villain monologue."

Even though they had managed to preserve their wellbeing after their dangerously close encounter with the Unseen Destroyer Clank looked in deep thought. "Orion was right. The Unseen Destroyer was indeed deliberately generated inside a laboratory. He mentioned that he has a creator and in fact, twice."

"Which means someone else is behind all this." Ratchet felt the urge to ease the pain running through his left shoulder by rubbing the spot, probably left as a side effect from being hit by the Nether creature. "I hope Loric will be able to tell us more. Let's go check if everything's okay on the Monument Square."

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

The place where Orion had fallen was no more than a hole with burnt marks all around it, exposing the soil beneath the slated plateau and disrupting its smooth, extended surface. Pieces of wrecked stone had remained scattered around where the iron ball had collided until Loric picked them up one by one so they wouldn't litter his beloved square. Only a few were left but he would soon collect them and see what could be done to mend the destroyed part.

His task was interrupted when he saw Ratchet and Clank approach him. He normally hated leaving his tasks unfinished but in this case their presence worked as a pleasant interruption. "Good to see you. You two did a brilliant work, not even one of them managed to get near here" his words slipped through a welcoming smile that made them warm-sounding. However concern forced his voice to settle to a lower pitch when he asked his next question. "How are things there? Were our structures destroyed?"

Neither of them spoke for several seconds and Ratchet broke the silence only after he made sure he had soundlessly conveyed his message. "I'm sorry."

"I see" Loric's blue eyes failed to remain focused for a while. "I mean it's fine, these were just our old settlements and they were uninhabited. I'm just glad they didn't manage to get to us."

"We encountered the Unseen Destroyer and from what he told us, we believe Orion was right to believe he was created in a laboratory" Clank took a firm step ahead so he could have Loric's attention. "He also mentioned that he spent some time here, trying to manipulate the minds of the Grey Mages."

"Two mages suffered from nightmares for months. They claimed they dreamt about their most unpleasant experiences all the time and that they heard a voice telling them strange things; that they were living a lie. Sounds very creepy if you ask me" Loric put his hands on his waist and let out a heavy exhale. He shook his head and lightly narrowed his eyes, deep blue hidden by his eyelids as much as needed to reveal his bitterness. "First Edrig, then Solomir. Solomir recovered when it stopped. Edrig though…"

"So that's how you knew what happened to me that night" Ratchet concluded as he remembered the nightmares and the voices. A disturbing uneasiness made his blood run cold as he sank into painful realisation. The Unseen Destroyer was indeed on Igliak that night with the sole purpose of invading his mind and leading him to madness. "But that means the Unseen Destroyer _did_ attack you, maybe not with weapons and an army but still. Why didn't Orion decide to help the rest of Ceilif stop him?"

"Well, uh. Orion was convinced it was some sort of disease. And to be fair he didn't have proof of his presence on Silthrin. Maybe he wanted to believe it so hard he would reject putting faith in anything else. He hated war and knew we wouldn't endure. We don't know how to fight."

Loric went on talking about Orion's possible wrong judgment, trying to conceal it with various justifications but Ratchet was already set on his opinion about the matter. He found no reason to listen to any more.

He sent a hopeless gaze skywards to seek solace in the infinite, now somehow comforting grey, but he failed to find its calming vastness. The sky was stained by crimson that spread arrogantly like paint spilled on a bleached canvas. Ratchet followed the course of the maroon gas with green eyes slowly staring closer and closer at the ground until they spotted an enormous building from where the red mist originated. "What's that?" he drew everyone's attention as he pointed at the thick, crimson cloud.

Loric turned towards the direction of the Ivory Fortress, where Ratchet was pointing at. "No…"

"Loric?" the Lombax called out, anticipating to know what was transpiring.

"It's a message from the Ivory Fortress. If the smoke was blue we'd have good news but this" Loric's voice was bold in discontent. "This isn't good news."

"What does it mean?" Clank asked, prepared for the bad news he knew he was getting when he studied Loric's look.

Loric turned to face the two heroes, a forlorn look announcing the severity of his statement. "It means we're leaderless. Orion is dead."

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

The blasts and explosions had long since been silenced, the snow had defeated the fires though not the ashes that were the reminders of their existence and the black smoke had dissolved after reaching the white skies. However no feasts or celebrations followed. Ratchet watched several men with grey robes walk past him, some holding pots adorned with colourful gems, other moving more slowly as they were hindered by the weight of the chests they were carrying. All of them seemed indifferent or even ignorant to his and Clank's presence but Ratchet understood the reasons behind their collective behaviour; after all, the whole community was at a state of mourning.

He had a hard time detaching his gaze from the ground as his eyes insisted to keep closing. He jolted, attempting to inject his body with a rush of energy and his eyes forcefully became wide open. His long strife to deceive death had left him exhausted. But Clank looked as rigorous as he always was, untouched by the limitations of an organic. Ratchet observed his friend as he paced around while his metal feet coming in contact with the square's surface produced a characteristic sound. His need to sleep was temporarily subdued when Clank initiated a conversation between the two.

"Who is this creator?" Clank ceased walking aimlessly around and spoke directly to Ratchet with his palms open and facing the sky in frustration. "Who could have the power to create such a powerful being and with full sentience, intelligence as well as cognitive abilities?"

"One good guess would be Dr. Nefarious but…" Ratchet breathed in to calm down his mind that jumped from one scenario having the two of them die to the other but little did it help. "I don't know, it just doesn't sound possible to me. I don't think he even knows the Twin Galaxies exist." He looked at the Ivory Fortress and the sky above it that still had small tints of red. The crimson smoke had spread the word that an unfortunate event had taken place and thus, it ceased covering the floating grey above. "Do you remember where we landed Aphelion?"

"I do. Are we leaving?"

After absorbing the melancholic scenery manifesting its majesty all around Ratchet looked at the small Zoni robot. "Yes. We're going to Everos."

They began heading for the Ancestral Caves where Aphelion awaited them but in the first seconds of their march they were interrupted by Loric who realised they were about to leave and dashed behind them to hold them from their objective.

"Ratchet! Clank! Where are you going?" he shouted. Some Grey Mages stared at him a little dumbfounded that their brother had brashly broken the funereal silence.

The two heroes turned around, allowing Loric to keep them away from their starship for a little longer. Ratchet was the one to explain the action they intended to take. "We've wasted enough time here. We're heading for that lab on Everos."

"You can't leave, not yet. Won't you be attempting the funeral?" Loric panted lightly and attempted to rest by leaning on his staff.

"Funeral?" Clank spontaneously uttered, somewhat whelmed by curiosity about the customs of the Grey Mages despite having the misfortune to stumble on the ones performed in saddening events.

"We're almost done with the preparations. It will only take a while. Orion would be honoured" Loric tried to convince them with an imploring tone but only by Ratchet's sullen face he could tell they weren't about to yield.

"Loric, every second we waste benefits the Unseen Destroyer. You brought us here to help find a way to stop him. And now that we have a lead, you're asking us to delay the mission?" Ratchet sounded composed enough but beneath his relatively steady tone there was silent anger waiting for a spark to explode.

"If it weren't for not only me but Orion too the Unseen Destroyer would soon kill you in your sleep _after_ driving you insane. You owe this much to him. One hour, that's all I'm asking" Loric's voice slowly started slipping out of what calmness sounded like and Ratchet seemed to follow suit.

"He's going to attack Zanimal and these people have already suffered enough because of him. You've seen it yourself! I can't just sit around while he could already be there. Don't you at least care about Egandor and Asyrian's wellbeing?"

"He just left Silthrin, Ratchet! He hasn't even left from Ceilif yet. You're just being irrational because you're holding a grudge against us. Just get over the Trial of the Sovereign incident!" Loric had now given up every effort to stay collected and was running his fingers through his hair while talking as his whole body reacted to Ratchet's stubborn resistance to compromise. "Kaden would attend the funeral as an act of respect to his deceased friend."

"I don't care! Orion was not my friend, he just dragged me into the mess he couldn't solve himself. And guess what, Loric; I'm _not_ Kaden!"

Ratchet's enraged yelling echoed through the whole Monument Square where only two Grey Mages had now remained and were of course drawn by the Lombax's vehement outburst. He paused for a while to catch his breath whilst glaring into Loric's face. His ears had fallen flat and his nails almost pierced into his palms due to the excessively clenched fists he formed with his trembling hands. Clank stared at his friend with a sorrowful look and felt as though guilt was strong enough to render him deactivated for not having realised Ratchet had been carrying all this emotional pressure for a while now.

"I'm not Kaden and I know I'm not what Orion expected to see, but should it matter?" he finally sounded calmer and Loric let out a sigh he was holding until he made sure Ratchet's attitude was no longer a threat to him. "I'm here and I'm going to do whatever it takes to stop the Unseen Destroyer. Isn't that all that matters?"

For the next moments Loric didn't know how to respond and Clank seized the opportunity and took advantage of the silence. "We do not intend to show disrespect to your leader but lives are at stake. We must move fast."

Loric looked at the ground and held his staff with both hands, letting the fingers of his hand feel the flawlessly hewed wood and admiring the professional craftsmanship. "You're right" he spoke before Ratchet and Clank could think of leaving without knowing what was inside his head. "If you're going to have a chance to win this you'll have to continue your journey right away. Just let me accompany you to your ship. There should be mist out there and you can't afford to get lost."

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

Snowflakes softly fell from the thick clouds and touched the ground without disturbing the sense of tranquility that had settled in after the battle. Following a shortcut only Loric was aware of him along with Ratchet and Clank traversed an oak field. Their branches held not a single leaf yet they stood persistently, defying the cold and the violent bursts of wind as they covered the sight of the bleached sky and cast slender shadows that decorated the soil underneath them.

"Do you think we will find a way to stop him once we have explored the laboratory?" Clank's doubt-filled voice gently led Ratchet away from his state of deep, distant thinking.

"Yes. The answers are there. I know it" Ratchet's response had been direct and swift. Most would interpret it as determination but Clank could tell it was a desperate attempt to believe all this would end well when uncertainty couldn't be greater within him.

Clank nodded and let Ratchet within his own privacy. Shortly and even without wanting it to be any other way, Ratchet fell into complete silence and tried to recollect what had happened so far.

He wanted to believe Everos would help them take the upper hand, that it would provide them with a simple and fast way to vanquish the Unseen Destroyer. Part of him told him he was fooling himself but another part told him there was hope. After all, he had been through hard adventures before and in every occasion the odds seemed to be against him, even in the missions that were personal and not just a matter of assuring Omniversal balance. But he always succeeded in the end despite being forced to sometimes make sacrifices and despite the pain they left him with afterwards. It was a fate he himself had forged when he decided to leave Veldin and relinquish a life bound to what is mundane and out of danger's reach. Away from the life his father wanted for him.

Dismal, green eyes glanced at the sky one last time before the time of his departure could arrive. The scenery was serene enough but at this moment he wanted to leave those grey lands as soon as possible. He had had enough of Silthrin's depressing landscapes and grumpy people.

"Your ship's not far from here. If you continue straight you'll find it" Loric explained after the three of them reached a spot where the mist was much thinner, almost transparent.

"Great, thanks" Ratchet's face brightened with a smile. He really couldn't wait to leave Silthrin. "How do we contact you? And are you going to be able to find a ship or should we come and pick you up?"

After a couple of seconds of a frozen, bewildered expression Loric's face changed as a confused smile appeared. "I don't understand. Why would you want to come back and pick me up?"

Ratchet stopped on his tracks and stared at the sorcerer, looking puzzled. "Wait… You're not coming?" he mumbled, his tone low and serious. "I thought you'd follow us after everything here settled."

"Uh" Loric's gaze shifted between Ratchet and Clank, seeing the eagerness and anticipation in both their faces. "I can't leave Silthrin" Loric disclosed.

He felt quite surprised by the fact that they thought he would continue following them. And he felt even more astonished by the reaction of both outsiders who were visibly crestfallen by his decision. He could see disappointment in Ratchet's eyes and Clank's optic lids. He was convinced Ratchet had come to hate him after their heated arguments but seeing their reaction to the news made him believe they really did consider him a friend to the point they wanted him with them.

"I failed to mention I've been unanimously chosen to become the main counselor of the new leader. So I'm needed here."

"Wow, that must be huge" Ratchet exclaimed with a light tone that disclosed his keen approval.

"Congratulations, Loric" Clank uttered placidly, his warm tone delivering the new counselor from his emerging guilt. "I wish you good luck with your new duties, though I am sure you will not fail your people."

"I really appreciate it Clank, especially since it's coming from you" Loric acknowledged him and knelt to reach his level and shake hands with the sentient robot. "I won't forget you" he pronounced and Clank responded with a smile.

Ratchet seemed quite dispirited while he watched his friend and the Grey Mage bid their valedictions. He saw Loric rising to his normal height which was greater than his own and noticed Loric's dark-blue eyes were staring at him. It was his time to bid his farewell. "It was good having you tag along" he pronounced as casually as he could. "Thank you for everything."

Clank made a sound of pretending he cleared his throat even if he didn't have the need to. Ratchet understood the purpose of it and slightly rolled his eyes as his tail performed a nervous flinch. "Oh, right! And sorry for all the times we argued. No hard feelings, okay?"

"Of course. Like nothing ever happened." Loric managed not to laugh due to the way the two friends communicated with each other. "You can come here anytime from the Polaris Galaxy through a rift in the Vorox Nebula. Kaden used to travel through it whenever he wanted to come here. It leads straight above Silthrin's orbit in literally no time."

"We will make sure to remember that" Clank reassured.

"You have Kaden's Armor now" Loric now turned his head to look at Ratchet. "The Grey Mages are with you. You're ready to face the Unseen Destroyer… Son of the Stars."

"I'm no such thing, Loric. I'm just doing what I always do" Ratchet denied the title given by the Zoni.

"I suppose time will tell" Loric suggested in a mischievous manner and outstretched his arm. Ratchet smiled implicitly and shook hands with Loric so as to say goodbye. "Do come back some time" Loric proposed and afterwards, Ratchet and Clank walked the opposite direction in order to find Aphelion, prepared to leave the ashen planet.

After observing his two new friends long enough to memorise their features and appearance, reassuring himself he would remember them no matter how much time passed before their next encounter Loric began heading for the Monument Square.

Before he even set his foot in front of the other thoughts kept his mind occupied. His new title held much responsibility and was considered one of the most honourable duties among his people. How would he help the new leader rule? Was he clever or wise enough to give advice to him? Would he promote peace while surrounded by fallen civilizations like Orion had done? Or would he jeopardize their little, secluded haven in order to offer help to others?

Even though his body was protesting against staying in the cold for any longer, demanding immediate warmth, a memory encouraged Loric to ignore his need for shelter. Something Ratchet had told him had crept deep enough to torture his thoughts and his only chance to exorcise it was now, before he could leave.

"Ratchet?" he shouted, fervently wishing he had been heard. He didn't fight against his urge to smile as soon as he saw that the Lombax had turned around and was now listening to him. "I don't intend to leave anyone _high and dry_."

It didn't take much effort for Ratchet to understand what Loric was talking about. A smile crossed his own face as he found himself pleasantly surprised by the fact that they had known each other for some days and they were already learning from one another. "Glad to hear that."

Loric gave a salute by raising his staff and then walked away. His grey robes wavered as he moved into the mist until he was swallowed by it, not to be seen again. Ratchet and Clank stared at the spot where he used to stand and quietly watched as the planet went on with its harmonious flow of natural procedures; the snow gently descending and the mist manifesting its dominion on all things and making Silthrin a place of unworldly, peculiar beauty.

The two friends finally reached the starship but they didn't find her under the best of conditions.

"Oh, darn it. Look at all this snow" Ratchet mildly complained as he observed piles of snow covering Aphelion, rendering her stuck and unable to take off anytime soon.

"I suppose it will take a while before we get rid of it" Clank pointed out unenthusiastically.

The otherworldly serenity was polluted by the sound of thrusters penetrating the air. Ship engines produced a constant roar that became louder and louder as if coming from the sky's dome. The duo looked at the direction of the sound and noticed a ship attempting to land on their location.

"Oh no…" Ratchet shut his eyes and rested his forehead on his hand. "Why does the Universe hate me?" he went on as the large, green ship flew closer to the ground. Clank observed it while it touched the snow-covered soil with a spark of familiarity softening his expression.

Eventually it landed right next to Aphelion which made her look like a miniature in comparison. "Guess who's to the rescue!" a disembodied voice was heard.

"Really?!" Ratchet exclaimed.

"Indeed my furry sidekick in distress, it seems unbelievable but it's true. Rejoice, for…" the newcomer finally exited the ship and revealed his identity. "Captain Qwark is here!" he announced triumphantly.

"Kill me now" Ratchet begged Clank in irritation and shook his head.

"How did you find us?" Clank inquired curiously.

Qwark made a noise of clearing his throat in order to begin narrating his story and instantly took up a heroic stance. "There I was, troubled by the lack of, uh, trouble and bored."

"No, no, no, just _no_!" Ratchet protested with arms out, palms forward. Qwark ceased talking only to open his mouth seconds later to speak again but Ratchet had already decided he wouldn't survive another story of Qwark's heroic feats. "No!" he bawled impatiently to stop him.

The self-proclaimed captain pouted and his joyful expression turned into a scowl. "My agent was right, I have to make a public notice for a new sidekick" he murmured afterwards, unheard by the two. He began strolling around Ratchet, eyeing him with great caution. "So, this is what the fuss was all about? Shinny" he commented on Ratchet's recently acquired armor. "Kinda convenient it was your size. All Lombaxes happened to be so short?"

"Did you really come all the way here just to insult my height?" Ratchet asked in an annoyed tone as he folded his arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Kaden's armor did look bigger when we found it. I knew you somehow managed to adjust its size" Clank remarked and shamelessly engaged into a small fit of laughter, though not without gaining a glare from Ratchet.

"You're shorter than me" he retorted but even that didn't end Clank's brief laughing.

Due to failing to resist the contagious effect of laughter Qwark giggled too. "That was a good one, Clank. Anyway here, this will help you get rid of the snow" he informed and threw a metallic object.

The Lombax caught it as it flew in the air and looked at it. On his gloved palm lay a miniscule cylinder with a small button on one end. With a small push on it laser emitted and produced incredibly high levels of heat. Ratchet used the cylinder to melt the snow around Aphelion and hence, he managed to save precious time.

"And I've got one more thing for you" the Captain stated and went into his ship to search for it. Things falling, fragile objects breaking and the screeching of a monkey could be heard and Ratchet couldn't help rolling his eyes. Clank shook his head disapprovingly. "Here" Qwark showed them what he had been searching for after climbing out of the ship again.

"My hoverboots!" Ratchet cheered exhilarated, feeling like a child that just found a lost toy after days of searching. He grabbed the pair and stared at it with eyes glowing in joy. "Where were they?"

Qwark had a worried, nervous expression written all over his face and he fidgeted while looking at everything around but Ratchet. "Uh, well, um…" he stammered. Ratchet's fern-green eyes quickly darkened as his eyelids lowered and an ever-increasing growl forced him to eventually reply. "In a sewer pipe."

"What?!" Ratchet shouted in a mix of disbelief and irritation. Next to him Clank himself widened his optics.

"They're perfectly clean now! I gave 20 bolts to that laundry girl. I spent forty minutes smelling them and I assure you, they're totally clean. You have the word of a superhero" Qwark justified so quickly he omitted to breathe in between. He observed Ratchet holding his footwear as far away from him as he could with only his thumb and index finger.

"How did they get there in the first place?" Clank asked in a state of bewilderment.

"I… sleepwalk sometimes" Qwark tittered but neither Ratchet nor Clank seemed in the least amused. "He's going to kill me, isn't he?" he asked and pointed at the Lombax in a craven manner.

"That you can be sure of. As soon as all of this is over" Ratchet confirmed casually and began wearing his hoverboots. They did seem clean and after all, they would certainly come in handy. He would use any kind of equipment he could skillfully operate to be prepared for what was coming next.

Qwark glanced at Clank with big, blue eyes that sought for support but he stumbled on a wall. "I am with him on this one" the robot nonchalantly told him.

The hero dressed in green only groaned and watched the two friends narrowing their distance with Aphelion. "So, what's our destination?"

"Nah, forget it. You're not coming" was Ratchet's abrupt response. He attempted to lean on his ship's surface but lost balance due to how slippery Aphelion had become after such long exposure to the snow. He managed not to fall and thankfully avoided further humiliation.

"Come on, I can help" Qwark tried to convince the two cheerfully.

"Ratchet, maybe he _could_ help. I can tell he is willing to" Clank was beginning to reconsider.

"You know what? Clank's right, you can help" Ratchet announced to Qwark once he was inside the red ship's cockpit.

"Really?"

"Yes. Planet Zanimal needs help. I need you to go to Meridian City and ask Talwyn to send reinforcements there. I will upload the coordinates to your ship, make sure she gets them" Ratchet instructed and instantly started Aphelion's engines once Clank took a seat next to him.

Aphelion's cockpit slid and enclosed Ratchet and Clank within her interior. Ratchet's irreconcilable nature quickened the pace in which she took off and Qwark only watched the ship rise to the endless white of the sky in search of space's stars.

Ratchet left Silthrin without wasting a second on hesitating and immediately set a course to planet Everos.

* * *

 **A/N: Say hello to Captain Qwark for he doesn't intend to let Ratchet steal all the glory! For those who might be wondering, the terms _hex-mount_ and _weapon locker_ are from the Movieverse. The PS4 game and movie are not canon in this fanfic but I will be using such terms every now and then as they make writing convenient. But the 2002 game is the canon Ratchet origin story, at least for me.**

 **Also the way the Cragmites teleport is canon, taken from Tools of Destruction. And you might have noticed some Mass Effect influence here. Yes I will openly admit that the shield Ratchet's armor generates was inspired by Mass Effect. I recently played the trilogy and absolutely loved it. I just hope it won't find more ways to get into this story and make me look like I'm copying elements from it.**

 **I feel like Ratchet was a little too pissed off in this chapter and I'm afraid this might have been a bit OOC. Let me know, was he too much of a _Renegade_? Should he be more _Paragon_? Okay, I have to stop.**

 **Feel free to share your thoughts with me and soon the next chapter will be posted, which will also be the end of Part II.**  
 **Thank you for reading. Until next time!**


	13. Aftermath

**A/N: Three and a half months to update this time. I'm just the best fanfiction writer, aren't I. I'm so, so busy with university and trying to get a degree on musical education at the same time. Believe me, I have this fanfiction on the back of my mind 24/7. And I am going to finish it because I love it so much and mainly because I love Ratchet and Clank even more. Writing about them feels like I'm doing some sort of tribute to honour them. And I don't see this feeling changing anytime soon.**

 **Thank you all for your patience, both new readers and consistent supporters alike. I hope when we reach the end of the story together, it will be all worth it.**

 **Disclaimer: Ratchet  & Clank and all characters related to the franchise do not belong to me. They are property of Insomniac Games.**

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Aftermath**

A gigantic globe adorned with the colours red, orange, brown and scarce spills of green slowly came into view as the constellations of Astarte shone like lighthouses to assure safe navigation into the endless, pitch-dark ocean of space, an abyss full of dangerous paths that never led back home for the hesitant, a dreamlike voyage for the daring, both for the seekers and neither for the timid.

The scenery through the glass of Aphelion's cockpit gradually changed and the vastness of black was blanched by nebulae and was embellished with trillion glimmering stars that rapidly disappeared when the light sent by the system's sun permeated the middle layers of the planet's atmosphere. Thick clouds materialised within a matter of seconds and the darkness of space soon swirled and faded away when the starship was welcomed by a scarlet sky fully under the effect of a setting sun that preluded the arrival of night.

The rocky formations of the planet's surface varied, extending in great size and steepness and the winding precipices joined the scenery of total grandeur. Small streams of lava crossed the rocky terrains and fell from the cliffs shortly after flowing away from their fiery sources.

Aphelion floated above the craggy lands and rivers of lava, thankfully untouched by the lethal warmth they emitted. She maneuvered gracefully beyond the multiple peaks standing between her occupants and the laboratory and eventually landed in front of a massive building consisted of many metal surfaces and large chimneys whose black breaths polluted the air. Countless fossil fuels were embedded on the towering, rocky walls around which seemed to keep them steady and offer them the colour of coal. Right behind the imposing laboratory was a volcano with small torrents of lava flowing on its surface. The laboratory itself appeared to have been built with the objective of taking advantage of the volcano's natural inclination and so it appeared to be part of what was known to whoever dwelled the Astarte galaxy as the Myzangard Volcano.

"How many times will I be left out of action? Did I ever mention how unpleasant it was to be stuck beneath so much snow?" Aphelion's heavily accented voice declared a complaint.

"We won't be long, Aphelion" Ratchet reassured with a grin as he slid his gloved fingers on a button.

"The last time I heard you say that was when you went to planet Kerwan to fix Helga von Streissenburgen's pancake maker. You ended up spending the _entire_ day there. 6 hours, 14 minutes and 47 seconds to be precise. I cannot fathom what took you this long" Aphelion had conveyed curiosity through her otherwise strict tone.

The motion of Ratchet's fingers displayed agitation as they hurriedly pressed the button so the cockpit would open. "Um, how come you remember that?" he attempted to hide his nervousness with a mirthless smile. "You know what, nevermind" he quickly changed his mind about continuing his conversation with Aphelion.

His intention of jumping out of the ship was cut short by Clank. "He ended up turning it into a nuclear weapon. Helga forced him to run the fitness course fifty times in order to forgive him" Clank informed without even bothering to refrain from laughing.

"That explains why he fell asleep on the wheel" Aphelion recalled and tried to sound aloof but Ratchet had caught the underlying tone of amusement behind her seemingly reserved speech.

"You gotta be sh-" Clank gave him a quite forceful push with his elbow and the Lombax's eyes widened, more because he was wondering since when Clank had such strength that his size couldn't possibly posses rather than due to the abrupt interruption. "…kidding me" he breathed out, forbidding his curse to slip out of his mouth.

"Perhaps we should reconsider about not putting the swear jar tactic into practice" the small robot said as he kept looking at Ratchet with partly shut optics. Ratchet could tell Clank was getting delight from teasing him.

"Let's go, tin can" the words brought a warm smile on his face and he lightly pushed his robot friend before finally exiting the starship.

Clank followed suit and Aphelion shut the cockpit after he had hopped out of his comfortable seat. He took idle steps for a few seconds and afterwards moved closer to Ratchet who seemed too absorbed to notice his aimless walking. When he laid his gaze ahead, he was welcomed by the enormous, coal-black mountain that spewed fiery rivers from its peak, a gigantic settlement with artificial light deluging from the windows and moving platforms that declared its incessant activity. "Oh my…"

"I know" Ratchet shook his head mildly but his worried green eyes didn't abandon the colossal building. "Be prepared for anything."

The duo began walking through a ramp that would guide them in front of the main entrance. The isometric tiny openings allowed Clank to observe the lava boiling beneath them and waiting to devour them until there was nothing but scorched bones and metallic parts left. Even if his footing was somewhat unstable, as though he was walking on strings, he didn't let the thought linger and hastened his pacing to catch up with Ratchet, hoping to borrow some of his vigilance and disregard towards danger.

They eventually approached the main gate and as soon as Ratchet stood still to take a good look of it Clank adjusted himself on his harness, positioning himself on Ratchet's back and remaining silent due to his watchfulness.

"Ringing the doorbell doesn't seem to be an option" Ratchet commented and placed his hands on his waist as he raised his head to examine the higher part of the building.

"You do not want to know the percentage of the possibility of us leaving the planet alive if we do such thing."

The raising of his shoulders and a brief, suppressed laughter came as a reaction to Clank's statement. His eyes wandered around and sometimes sparkled in the meantime whenever they fell on the golden-coloured, hot rivers around the terrain. His emerald orbs dawdled on a quite spacious opening that was some feet above the heavy doors. "I just found our way in."

Ratchet's running let Clank know that their attempt of infiltrating the building had just begun. The Lombax halted near the lowest of the platforms and observed them, trying to detect the pattern in which they moved. For a little while, his only action was swift glimpses from one floating surface to another. Afterwards, once the first platform reached his height Ratchet dashed and bent his knees until he could touch the ground. One small push with his palm and his feet were already hovering in the air as Clank activated his helipack and led Ratchet higher than he could go alone.

He successfully landed on the platform and was quick in gaining his balance that momentarily crumbled because of the surface's rapid motion. He swiftly turned to his left, with arms visibly detached from his slender figure, and focused on the next platform that was moving towards him. Ratchet stretched out his fingers before they immediately gathered into his palms and his chest heaved as he inhaled a great amount of air.

He glared at the approaching platform as if it would be its fault should he fail. He omitted breathing in as he ran for it. When he reached the corner of his platform he jumped and outstretched his arm as he hopelessly tried to grab the platform he had targeted. A look of resignation briefly plagued his face but vanished right when he clung on the edge of the platform.

Ratchet exerted his arms so they could carry the weight of his whole body and lift him and Clank onto the platform. He didn't hurry to stand up and treated himself with a moment to catch his breath.

"We have almost reached the opening. One more jump" Clank encouraged his friend and hoped it would be enough to refresh Ratchet's strength.

With a silent grunt Ratchet stood up and spotted the opening a little farther from him. The platform was floating towards the opposite direction but the Lombax remembered the pattern and knew that soon it would suspend its course and redirect it, which would lead him right to the opening.

He had foreseen the sheer halt and so his balance hadn't been broken. The platform started moving to the desired location and the closer it transported them the more fidgety Ratchet's movements became.

"Come on…" he murmured quietly and awaited the right moment to perform the decisive jump. Anticipation grew and dictated the movement of his tail which swayed sideways. "Come on…"

He could almost see inside the building. They were now too close to the opening and the time to act had arrived. Ratchet was as ready as he could ever be. His feet refused to stay still and he willingly gave into the momentum caused by his untamable eagerness. He ran before his chance could be swept away from his hands and jumped.

He felt his frame piercing the air with much velocity and in split seconds he knew his ears weren't deceiving him; the sound of small choppers spinning fast assured him that Clank was also trying his best to get them inside.

Ratchet moved his foot forward and sighed audibly as soon as he felt the soles of his boots land on steady ground. They had made it.

 _"What did I tell you? A leap of faith!"_

He forcibly let the memory of his former mentor fade away so he and Clank could go on with the mission. A slight hop allowed Clank to activate his auxiliary choppers once again so they could safely trespass the great distance that separated them from the floor.

"We made it in. What now?"

"We must find as much information as we can about how the Unseen Destroyer was created" Clank reminded him. "I do hope we also manage to find out _who_ created him."

The lighting of the area was dim and the place was empty. Ratchet spotted a hall ahead of him leading deeper into the settlement but the air there felt unsafe. He took a few hesitant steps forward to observe more closely and as his concern turned greater his expression changed to one of cautiousness.

He felt small waves of heat crashing on his fur and armor even if everything seemed perfectly still ahead of him. His grim suspicion manifested with the lowering of his eyebrows. "Well, whoever it is certainly doesn't want to be found. I think there are lasers there."

"Let me investigate" Clank inquired and parted with Ratchet's Hex-mount in order to inspect the area. His glowing optics remained wide open while looking at the hall. "You are right. The design of these lasers takes advantage of the limitations that any organic's sight has. The lasers move extremely quickly so your vision is not capable of spotting them. Very clever" Clank was unable to resist adding a commendation.

"When we find whoever runs this place you can tell him congrats" Ratchet commented in sarcasm as he motioned to the hall with his hand. "Can you deactivate them?"

"I shall try" the robot offered eagerly and moved to a panel attached to the wall next to him. Thankfully it was at his level and he could easily work on decrypting the safety mechanisms and violate the alarm protocols.

In the meantime Ratchet paced without allowing his emerald eyes to leave the hall. An annoying heat flowed through his chest and stomach and he felt the air hot and humid. Even breathing inside the building made him feel threatened and he desperately tried to find out what was beyond the lasers but the faint light made it impossible. The more he waited the more his combative instincts were being laid to rest and the more his mind raced. His thoughts crept into upsetting corners of his mind and what they brought to the surface only paralysed Ratchet's hope that this would soon end once and for all.

 _"Save your wit. It may come in use when you go to Everos."_

Fear dimmed down his voice to a forlorn whisper. "Please don't let this be a trap…"

"The lasers are deactivated" Clank declared the result of his work and rubbed his tiny metallic palms in pride.

"Well done, pal" the Lombax praised and his head swiftly turned to face the hall. The unsettling warm waves he kept on feeling earlier had dissipated and the two advanced through the hall, now delivered from the fear of getting imprisoned or killed.

Once the hall was behind them they encountered two sealed doors and a small entrance in the middle of them. The secured gates of the other two rooms narrowed down they options and so, they reluctantly walked ahead and entered the next room. As Ratchet was leading the way, once he was inside the area he found tall columns that seemed to form a narrow path.

"What are these?" he wondered as he partly shut his eyes to shield them from the rings of bright neon-blue that shone near the top of each column.

Clank had silently sneaked in and watched the sizeable pillars as he peeked from Ratchet's leg. "They seem to be enhanced with sensory microchips. All alarms will be triggered should we touch them."

"Perfect!" Ratchet exclaimed joylessly. "Okay, we can do this. I'll go first."

"Okay. I will keep your tail away from the columns" Clank spoke with a suggestive tone and his metallic jaw adjusted to what resembled a smile.

"Very funny. You hang out with Aphelion too much" Ratchet feigned annoyance but even if he had tried to hide it, Clank knew he had enjoyed the joke.

His gaze was inseparable from the floor and from the very first step, Ratchet thought ten times before performing the slightest movement. His mind formed a course he would be able to follow and as though he was walking an invisible yet right path he didn't allow his body to diverge from his planned movements. Clank imitated his partner's movements flawlessly but he could see Ratchet was having much more difficulty in keeping away from the columns due to their different statures.

They were progressing slowly but steadily and Ratchet didn't dare to even sigh in fear of triggering the alarm. He glanced ahead of him with a hopeful look, wishing to see the end of the corridor. He smiled widely as soon as he laid his eyes on a large door where the columns seemed to finally disappear.

"We're close, Clank" he informed, relief making his tone light and mirthful.

Only seconds kept them apart from success. Ratchet counted backwards the steps he needed to take in order to be able to move freely again. Five more. Four. Seconds slipped away so quietly, so elusively. Ratchet felt the feat was as good as achieved. They had deceived danger. The silence empowered his motive and the large door called him to walk through and claim his victory over the challenge. Two steps. Soon one more…

He jolted as soon as the continual wailing of a siren penetrated the room and hurt his ears. He turned around and glared at Clank but he found him too far from the surrounding columns. The robot looked as shocked as him, devoid of any words that could help alleviate the anxiety of both.

His green eyes were drawn by something that wasn't there before and as if he was hypnotized they remained there like a moth enchanted by a flame. At the spot where they had come from something blocked the light coming from the hall. Anger diffused all over his face and his fingers desperately searched for a trigger to pull.

His friend's undivided engrossment agitated his small form and Clank was quick in turning to look at whatever Ratchet was staring at behind him so furiously. The glass of his pair of brilliantly shining eyes reflected a familiar face but his reaction came belated for Ratchet spoke first.

"Son of a-"

"Qwark?!" the Zoni robot expressed as the tone of his voice emerged from a state of bewilderment.

The stout man, hindered by the columns as he was, had an uncomfortable position with one arm exceeding the rest of his body on which his head rested. "Hey guys, a little help here? I think I'm stuck."

As though he had been heard by the blinding, the blue lights of the columns turned off and the tall cylinders started sinking in the crevices of the floor until they gradually disappeared. The three occupants of the room allowed silence to settle when the sirens ceased producing any noises and soon, nothing but the tips of the pillars were visible. A sound of a retracting mechanism was heard and the columns were rapidly sent underneath the floor through the holes that were formed with their absence. The last stage of the chain reaction was the sealing of the holes by small, metallic lids.

As soon as he made sure the settlement was no longer reacting to the intrusion Ratchet unleashed the irritation that slowly seethed his insides. "You just couldn't stay out of our way, could you?"

"You don't need to worry, Ratchet. My blaster was just hungry for some action and you two were being all sneaky-sneaky" Qwark's words came out unhindered by any sort of remorse or embarrassment, which only made Ratchet's ire greater. "I wanted to pursue the glory of the battlefield, know what I mean? Ugh, of course you don't. In any case I'll let you know that I will take care of any dastardly amateurs that cross our path."

"What about Zanimal? I told you to send reinforcements. I gave you the coordinates!"

"Uuuh, I thought it would be better if I found out what you were up to" the former president casually raised his open palms facing the ceiling and smiled guiltlessly.

Blackness startlingly fell to smother all colours and after a few seconds of utter blindness the lights flickered until they were steadily shining, accompanied by a trenchant humming of the constant electricity flow. A heavy thud instantly rendered the lights uninteresting and the three trespassers turned to the direction of the commotion simultaneously.

The conflict between composure and sheer instinct left its trail on Ratchet's vision and he blinked to rid himself of the blur harassing his sight. His alarmed gaze remained fixated on the sealed gate but his focus was divided by the small charges of air brushing his cheek. He indignantly lowered his eyelids and glared at Qwark from the corner of his eye. Seeing the source of the aggravating puffs agitated him even more.

"Stop breathing so loudly!" Ratchet ordered a wide-eyed Qwark, who even after the angered demand continued with his huffing.

"Aaah! I think something slimy touched me" Qwark shrieked and moved closer to Ratchet as if magnetised by his armor.

"That was my tail" Ratchet stepped away from the bulky hero with a twist of his mouth adding to his expression of discomfort. It wasn't soothed but instead it intensified when Qwark attempted to grab him and position him in front of his oversized form like an organic shield. "Stop touching me!" the Lombax growled with no intention of hiding his discontent.

"I swear something's watching me, waiting to charge at me" Qwark openly ignored Ratchet's complaints and remained behind him.

Ever since his first days of creation, even Clank had recognised that patience was going to be among his strongest of traits. However at the current situation there was only so much he could put up with. "I demand that you two stop with your nonsense! The doors are breaking and unless we do something about it we will be doomed!" he heard his own internal gears turn faster, responding to the excessive tension flowing through him.

The same kind of banging was now inflicted on the door from which Ratchet and Clank had initially entered. The tumultuous sounds synchronized to a heavy, paced pounding. "I don't suppose fleeing is an option" the tallest of them faintly broke the monotonous sound. "We're trapped."

The bangs kept on targeting the surface separating the ones causing them from the intruders. Clank inwardly trembled due to the clamorous noise as his systems warned him of the great number of enemies yearning to get inside. The brute force they struck with made Ratchet swallow to alleviate the pain caused by his dry throat. In order to avoid imagining what would happen if they managed to break in he searched for an alternate way out with desperate glimpses only to realise, much to his surprise as well as disdain, that Qwark was right; there was no escaping this.

In the blink of an eye, the metallic surface was torn in half and a wide crevice allowed the occupants to see what was behind the door.

Ratchet's eyes became round to betray the shock stunning all his body that ran through, even reaching his feet. _'More Cragmites…'_

"These ones seem to have been genetically altered" Clank added to his already morbid realisation as if he had heard his thought. He raised his head with green eyes searching for Ratchet's, their brightness somewhat obstructed by the partly closed lids that manifested his hopelessness. "How are we going to get out of here?" he spoke silently as the strength to talk any louder had been stolen by the armada of Cragmites ready to execute them once they succeeded in getting in.

His search for solace ended successfully when he saw his friend's face. Ratchet's eyes held a glint ignited by a faint grin that seemed a little bit forced. His next words though were sufficient to reassure Clank that not everything was lost. "I have an idea" he plainly announced and outstretched his hand so Clank could reach it.

With an eagerness contradicting the distressed look on his own face, Clank held the Lombax's gloved palm and felt his small frame being elevated from the floor and swiftly get magnetised by Ratchet's harness.

Ratchet's rational thinking dimmed down by the sudden surge of adrenaline that made his perception acute. He had tried his best to sound confident for Clank's sake but within his mind, all whirled down to a sole fight-or-flight scenario with a most probably dreadful outcome. His plan was quite risky but if luck was on his side, it could be what would help him cling to dear life. Normally Ratchet didn't depend on luck but at that point he would welcome it if it decided to show its face in this dark hour.

An excessively loud clang declared the success of the Cragmites; the door had been laid to the ground. He moved until his viridescent eyes spotted Qwark with the intent to tell him what to do but the former president surprised him for a second time that day and was already occupied with the task Ratchet wanted him to be; taking advantage of the narrow entrance that didn't allow masses to walk through it, he had his blaster raised and gripped tightly, absorbed in a rigorous attempt to keep the Cragmites at bay by taking them down one by one as they where confounded by their predicament.

With this settled for the time being, Ratchet stared at the door ahead of him. It was much larger and if the bloodthirsty soldiers managed to break in they would most certainly be outnumbered while already being trapped. He felt something curling abruptly inside his abdomen, creating an unpleasant knot, and lightly winced at the warnings his body was giving him. There was no time for hesitation. It was do or die.

Ratchet's chest heaved to muster all the mental strength he had left and his hands held the Warmonger, then brought it to the level of his sight in order to aim.

"Damn it…" a quivered whisper soundlessly escaped him.

And he fired. The unleashed missiles crashed with the door, causing its external joints to collide with the floor with an irksomely loud noise.

Clank turned his head at an uncomfortable angle and peeked ahead which confirmed his dreary suspicion. Surprise seemed to render his speech deactivated but when he attempted to speak he found his voice barely coming out of his metallic mouth. "You… are destroying the door? You will let them in!"

"Trust me" Ratchet urged him and before he could dwell on the tension running through him he fired the Warmonger for a second time.

After the next set of mini rockets struck the door it finally abandoned the upper horizontal part of the opening and fell, rewarding the soldiers behind it for their great effort.

The big and sharp claws that had taken the place of hands but were still capable of efficiently using a gun were the first thing Ratchet took notice of. That combined with the far taller and sturdier stature they had than what Ratchet remembered from his first encounter with the species was enough to make him start questioning his plan. He was sure it could go far enough so as to leave the particular chamber but after that he couldn't deny his fear of what might happen.

When their menacing, yellow eyes focused on him, glaring at him with an open indication of what was they wanted to do to the intruders, Ratchet knew there was no turning back. As desperate as it seemed, he'd rather continue with this plan than endanger the lives of the three of them with his inactivity. The many weapons the Cragmites targeted at them while marching inside the room necessitated this need.

After storing away his Warmonger he prepared his feet for an exerting race and ran his fingers on the spherical object he was going to use next. He briefly espied Qwark and saw he had made quite a progress on keeping the angry Cragmites' bullets away from them. With no reluctance slowing down his movements he threw the glimmering weapon as close to his enemies as he could.

The miniscule disco ball floated high after touching the floor and instantly emitted lights of multiple colours while a mesmerizing music played in the background. The soldiers found themselves unable to control their actions and with involuntary movements they tuned to the music's beat.

"Qwark, run!" Ratchet shouted at the top of his lungs and finally let loose his legs that ached to give into the frantic running the Lombax was preparing them for.

Kaden's son heard heavy footfall from behind and thus could now concentrate on reaching the door. Before running past the door he gripped the Doom Blades and countless tiny blade saws instantly ricocheted around the room as they were unchained from the incarcerating gun due to Ratchet's prolonged pressure on the trigger. He smirked slyly at his dancing opponents as the first keen blades already started hurting some of them. With many more saws still in maddening motion seemingly promising to take care of the stunned enemies, Ratchet left the room along with Qwark who minded sealing the door behind them.

Even if the enemies standing in their way earlier had been entrapped inside the now locked chamber the trio still had to face the Cragmites blocking them from moving ahead, to the more vital sections of the laboratory.

As though the penetratingly hostile glares and snarls of the Cragmites were being deflected by the silvery armor, Ratchet remained unaffected by the apparent danger surrounding him. Noting that he would have to limit himself to weapons manufactured by GrummelNet due to his inability to obtain ammunition for weapons made by other companies, he enveloped the handle of the Pyro Blaster with his fingers while a resolute stare hardened his features. Pure fire spouted from the metallic cylinder and spread out like a living, hungry being eager to devour whatever happened to be engulfed in its ravenous flames. A few sparks flew dangerously close to Ratchet, momentarily forming bright lines into the deep green of his eyes, but he didn't recoil in the slightest, dead set on feeding the flames with the reptilian-looking creatures, inwardly wishing to see their sinister yellow eyes melt into their sockets.

When pulling the quite sizeable trigger came with no response Ratchet saw multiple bullets race to steal all life from him, now no more held leashed by the weapons' wielders. He rolled forward to evade a great amount of them fired at him. The moment he set his feet firmly on the floor to stand up, the armor's shield activated to keep its wearer unharmed.

His tail remained stiff revealing his full alertness and split seconds after he noticed the calm blue surrounding him he threw a Groovitron ball to counter the fact that they were unnumbered. With their senses enslaved and their self-control bent by the music's tempo, they were now thralls not about to fire their guns for a few seconds. Ratchet's eyes gleamed as he smiled while retaining the rough effect of his aggressive expression, showing that he was admiring the fruits of his labour.

"Nooo! Don't scratch my face! I have an interview tomorrow!" he heard Qwark shout a little farther away, somewhere inside the scene of chaotic disorder and rolled his eyes.

He momentarily let his mind slip into blissful daydreaming and imagined taking down masses and masses of enemies with his Blitz Gun. He bitterly condemned the vendor he came across on his way to Everos for not allowing him to refill the ammunition of his Gadgetron and Megacorp weapons.

"Perhaps my enhanced Time Bomb can aid us in regaining the upper hand" he landed into harsh reality when Clank overworked his voice modulator so as to be heard into the clamorous mayhem.

"I thought you kept those for emergencies" Ratchet already felt his body overexerted due to his shouting while trying to stay out of firing range.

"We are trapped and surrounded by countless mutated Cragmites! If that is not an emergency I cannot imagine what is" the robot stressed out.

His entire system sent warnings of overheating and a sense of intense fear sank within him, lagging his normally extremely quick scanning and calculating functions. Clank was familiarized with the emotion of fear; he had experienced fear even during his first minutes of birth. But that didn't mean he was less displeased to undergo it.

The speed in which Ratchet moved forward, backwards or around would probably become the cause of vertigo for an organic. However, as long as they moved Clank felt safe as the bullets were less likely to strike him or his friend. From the sound Ratchet's next weapon of choice emitted he understood the Lombax was now using the Fusion Grenade. A rather weak weapon for their current situation, Clank assessed, but he theorized that Ratchet was trying to keep his enemies distracted until he could come up with a better tactic to deal with them more efficiently. Or until his force shield reached its maximum duration point and shut down to recharge, he morbidly thought.

He gripped his last Time Bomb from his chest's compartment and readied himself to throw it when a Cragmite managed to get too close to them. The light in his eyes dulled when he realised it would probably not do much. It would merely affect a small area and stun only a few enemies while the rest of them would be free to fire at them. And as capable a fighter Ratchet was, he wouldn't last long once he ran out of ammo.

Clank jolted when a thin metallic component landed just in front of him with cables spurting right out of it. Ratchet had surely felt Clank's jolt just like the way he always felt Ratchet's heart beat loudly every time he was in the battlefield, as though there was an invisible cord connecting the two. His scans identified the object as a protective surface that kept the cables transferring energy through the settlement shielded. In its collapse it had cut some the cables, leaving most of them exposed. And since there was still light in the room, the power had probably been cut in another area of the laboratory.

An idea sprung from his processors which enlivened the glow in his circular eyes. He placed his Time Bomb back into his storing compartment and tried to identify the cables' power source. He spotted it in a nearby room and tried to interconnect with the control panel. If he could override the emergency shutdown he was sure this would allow electricity to flow through the cables.

The success of his plan showed when blazing flares charged from the cables and electrocuted every Cragmite that tried to reach Ratchet from behind. All of them were running so quickly they had failed to perceive the change in time and had dived right into the artificial lightning's fury. The rest of them stood behind the perpetual flow of electricity in fear of suffering the same fate.

Clank's confidence was restored when he saw that the Cragmites posing an imminent threat to them were much lesser now and his initial fear was purged with a smug smile.

Ratchet made a mental note to congratulate Clank for his military inventiveness if, no _when_ , they were out of this pandemonium.

"Stay away, vile creatures! You'll ruin my suit!" Qwark's voice was heard nearby, assuring Ratchet that he was still alive and fighting… for better or for worse.

Deciding to not let Clank's success slow him down, Ratchet spotted a Cragmite abandoning the effort of struggling to aim at the agile Lombax and simply charged at the briefly distracted target with only his razor-sharp claws, blindly following feral instinct.

Both hands thoughtlessly held onto the OmniWrench and used it as a shield to keep the angered enemy at a relatively safe distance. Ratchet bent his knees lightly in order to gain some momentum against his opponent but the sheer pressure on his heels and the burning ache running through his arms told him he wouldn't last long enough like this.

The direct eye contact sent a small shiver down Ratchet's spine but the rest of his body responded with waves of aggressiveness. As if the ancient feud between the two races had been imprinted on every cell, the Lombax's eyebrows lowered to shelter the thunderous ire in his emerald orbs and he gnashed his teeth, exposing his small fangs to intimidate. The Cragmite before him was fueled with the remnants of the same ancestral war as black pupils shrunk to the size of dots right in the middle of pools of firing yellow and preserved his strife to clench the enemy resisting.

The Cragmite had successfully walked through the semi-transparent barrier which meant it was designed to withstand only the fire of ranged weapons. Adding that piece of information to the back of his mind Ratchet raised his head with a constrained movement and spotted a heavy part of a mechanism attached to the ceiling. A small glimpse was enough for his practiced eye to detect one singular component having the shape of a handle which held the entire construction in place. The plan he formed materialised into a determined stare back at his rival. He only had one problem; he had to be released from the close combat he was currently engaged in.

Every harsh movement Ratchet performed Clank could sense. And through the years of their rather unorthodox method of fighting, he had learned to interpret every single one of them. He knew when Ratchet was mildly injured or when the severity of his wounds was great enough to require nanotech. He knew when Ratchet's movements derived from confidence or fear. He knew when he was rigorous or weakened. And what he knew at that moment was that Ratchet was getting exhausted. Should the barrier shut down, he knew they wouldn't make it out alive.

Clank let his optics get concealed as he closed his eyes in uncertainty. This had to work. It had to. There was no way to help Ratchet if he didn't try.

He activated his helipack and gave Ratchet enough impetus to push the Cragmite away from him. Seizing the opportunity Ratchet instantly used his weapon's Kinetic Tether to detach the handle from the swaying mechanism above their heads. And once gravity took hold of it, he ran out of its way and allowed it to land on the gathered Cragmites.

A stupor overtook Ratchet's form. Some seconds elapsed and his consciousness still wavered between insensibility and sharpness before becoming stable again.

"Ratchet, there is an elevator next to us" Clank's voice helped his mind grasp onto reality.

After the neon red light delimiting the elevator's position confirmed his friend's statement, Ratchet searched for the third member of their party. Not far from him was Qwark running towards the elevator with blaster blinding firing the Cragmites chasing him.

"Over here!" the mechanic called out and once the self-proclaimed hero narrowed the distance between them Ratchet stepped on the platform.

The turbulence which rendered the machine out of its rusty condition made Ratchet tense up a little. The light weight on his back disappeared as soon as Clank detached himself of the harness and stepped on the small surface. Looking up Ratchet observed the floor towering above him and when he realised the elevator was already in slow yet steady motion with Qwark not having stepped on it, he widened his eyes.

"Hurry up!" he shouted and hoped the intensity of his voice would hasten Qwark's footsteps.

The one falling behind almost made it to the platform but before hopping onto it to ensure his safety he turned around and faced the army of mutated Cragmites. Both Ratchet and Clank tilted their heads in confusion, unable to comprehend the motive behind his action.

"You brutes thought you would catch Captain Copernicus L. Qwark? Hah!" he began boasting.

Cursing the self-centered nature of their accidental ally Ratchet shook his head while at the same moment Clank lowered his face into his hand. The elevator evaded its initial phase and began descending faster, leading the duo into a lower floor. Ratchet and Clank called for him to step onto the elevator before the height became too great but Qwark looked unaffected by their restless warnings.

"I admire your zeal but this is my last warning. Leave! I have conquered this base!" Qwark announced triumphantly as he steadily took steps backwards in order to get on the elevator which, according to what he had last seen, was there waiting for him. The Cragmites before him marched towards his direction, not even slightly discouraged by his words. "You shall not p- Aaaaaahh!"

With that he fell backwards into the pit caused by the moving elevator. His high-pitched shriek was cut by his inelegant fall and after a few seconds he began standing up, groaning in pain.

With their enemies now left on a dead end, Ratchet took the chance to relieve himself of the nerve-racking battle as it looked like they were safe for now. "So did you take care of the _dastardly amateurs_? 'Cause it looks more like they took care of you." Clank managed to contain his laughter though he had to try hard to achieve that.

The memory of his graceless fall brought some embarrassment into Qwark. Hoping to erase the image off the minds of the duo he stood up and pretended to brush off some dirt from his shoulder. "Well we're alive, right? You're welcome."

Ratchet's throat produced a very silent growl as an impulsive reaction to Qwark's words. Thankfully when Clank spoke he was encouraged to pay attention to something else rather than the unbearable narcissism of the person before him.

"I am not picking up any signs of Cragmites on the lower floors. However I believe it would be wise if we remained-"

Once its destination was reached, the elevator abruptly ceased moving. The transition from steady motion to total stillness had been so curt a gasp escaped Ratchet while all three of them barely managed to keep their balance.

"Vigilant…" Clank uttered as if he didn't wish to speak but was somehow forced to.

Short, indecisive steps led the trio into a seemingly vast section of the laboratory where blinking lights drew their attention as they came to life in the form of red sparkles before they died down again. Depressing shades of olive green covered the metal walls and floor and a broad screen could be seen in the distance, at the far end of the room.

A noise startled all three of them, luring them to turn around. It felt like the elevator was up for another trick as it gave into motion again and ascended to the upper floors. The area alone unsettled Ratchet and now that he knew there was no way out that he was aware of, he breathed shallowly as though minding the oxygen there was in the room.

He proceeded to reach the screen, an act ignited by the hope of retrieving information concerning the Unseen Destroyer. Clank caught up with him fast while Qwark took slow steps behind them that mirrored his timidity.

As they walked closer to the end of the wide area, Clank's worry resonated into quiet, mumbling words. "I cannot help but think that…"

Ratchet's walking faltered when his mind conceived the lack of focused, steady speaking from Clank's side. His legs suddenly became numb and he ceased walking. He shut his eyes and lowered his head. "I know."

Ardour was also absent in Clank's march which as well slowed down only to stop completely. He sent the Lombax a questioning stare and his entire system seemed to crumble when he collided with Ratchet's forlorn, hopeless look. Their eye contact felt like it was sealing some sort of secret realisation they both had reached. No words had to be exchanged. They same weight sank within the two; they were walking straight into a trap.

Ratchet turned his gaze away, breaking the optical communication between them in order to hide the disarray that his whole being was immersing into. "You did great back there" he fulfilled the silent promise he had made to himself during the battle and took firm steps to approach the screen.

Mere silence followed, the absence of words making even more obvious that Clank was also lost into his millions of bad thoughts and somber scenarios. Neither was certain whether they were doing the right thing, yet neither was retreating.

Before Ratchet realised, he stood right in front of the black screen which reflected the blinking lights and his own form like a dark mirror. He stared at the armor he wore and couldn't resist contemplating its significance. For Kaden it had been a token of friendship, courtesy of Orion, and a gift to the son he left behind and surrendered to a miserable life in the streets, with no parents, friends or anyone to care about him. For Ratchet it had worked as a necessary evil to earn Orion's trust and find out the location of the Unseen Destroyer's creation. His father had left him to grow up on Veldin, all alone. The Lombaxes had neglected to take him with them. Obtaining it had made him and Clank undergo so many challenges, so much hardship. And now they were far from remotely close to beating that merciless tyrant from conquering planets and invading people's minds, taking pleasure in spreading his illness in them slowly and painfully. It could be considered nothing more than a simple objective to further progress to the end of the mission. Nothing more.

When he escaped his bitter reverie he saw into the black glass and realised his face held a deep frown. Once he allowed his features to relax he noticed the wounds on his face, mild scratches running across his fur. He had forgotten about them but not of the ordeals he went through on Silthrin. And the scratches would make sure to remind him for a little longer. Ratchet sighed and that caused an instant yet sharp pain on his chest but he didn't show it. ' _I guess anxiety's startin' to get the best of me._ '

"This place looks worse than my basement. And Snowball sleeps there mind you" Qwark approached the duo. Neither Ratchet nor Clank turned around to face him. On the contrary they didn't seem at all affected by his arrival.

"I will have to hack this computer to retrieve its data" Clank informed and Ratchet nodded as though agreeing with the idea and permitting him to go on with his plan.

Clank inserted his index finger in one of the computer ports and began searching for information he could save in his own data banks. It was taking longer that the three of them expected though. "Oh no."

"What is it?" Ratchet exclaimed in a burst of impatience.

"I cannot access any information. The only thing I can do is activate the transmission of a message" Clank notified his two companions, waiting for Ratchet's reply.

"Don't do it!" Qwark intervened. "It could resurrect, um… robot zombies?"

"There is not much I can do right now, the message will be transmitted in any case. Unless you want me to stay like this forever that is" Clank's tone openly expressed his discomfort, slightly narrowed optics showing his displeasure about the idea.

Qwark blinked. "Uh, yeah you could do that. It's not like you can die of old age or anything" he hummed.

"It's just a message, Qwark" Ratchet argued in indignation. "Probably the Unseen Destroyer with the usual, boring villain monologue" he added and looked at his robotic companion calmly, voicelessly advising him not to worry.

If Clank had a pulse it would certainly quicken and anxiety would make him sweat had he been an organic. He had a premonition of imminent danger and if he were to trust his insight he would have to believe that this wouldn't end well, especially for Ratchet. He could swear this would probably disturb his dear friend's mental state but he couldn't justify the reason behind these thoughts. And telling him would only worsen the turmoil already troubling him for basically no practical reason. Whatever lay ahead, they would just have to encounter with whatever strength they had within.

After several seconds the robot reluctantly retracted his finger from the port, enabling the message to be played on the large screen. Its blackness was disarranged by flickers and static. The random shapes then took form and a video began playing through the glass surface.

" _Hello, Lombax._ "

The voice was familiar. And so was the form into the screen. A haze momentarily replaced Ratchet's crystal clear vision and when it disappeared, the same form was still there.

" _You must be very surprised. Did you really expect I wouldn_ _'t take my measures in case I was defeated? Did you really think it would end that easily?_ "

A wicked laughter filled the place though Ratchet perceived it seconds later. His heartbeat became abnormally quick. As an entirely unconscious reaction, his ears dropped conspicuously and the more he listened to that voice the more agitated his nerves became.

" _If you're listening to this message then I'm probably dead. But I vowed to myself I would make sure every single one of your pathetic race would fall. This war will be over only with the victory of the Cragmites!_ "

His forest green eyes darkened as he glared at the short figure in the screen, the oversized crown on his head deluding the eyes and making him seem taller.

Ratchet closed his eyes and the words reverberated with the same spite. He could even recall the echo caused by the structural shape of the Court of Azimuth.

 _"I offer you this one chance: go home - join your race, or stay and suffer…"_

Memories were now conspiring against him. Ratchet clenched his fists, trying to confront his anger and prevent it from taking control over him. However, even that couldn't stop the shaking of his knees.

" _I'm sure you've met my precious experiment. Thírios. A perfect hybrid; Cragmite infused with a Loki_ _'s essence. This allows him to manipulate minds among a few more outstanding abilities._ "

Ratchet watched with gritted teeth and a heart pounding to the rhythm of rage. His mission was now becoming even more personal. Clank's gears turned rapidly and irregularly. Although the situation confounded him, especially because of the premonition he had earlier, he stood still right beside his friend for he knew he needed him. Qwark had moved a little farther, partly hidden behind a metallic box as if the former emperor of Polaris could actually see them.

" _I kept him here in a hibernation state and programmed him to wake up years after I travelled to the Solana galaxy. He even received an order from the very moment he woke up; to find you and lure you here. Why you may ask? I prepared a little game, Lombax. A game you and I can play. And now it can finally start. I can't imagine how much fun you must_ _'ve had so far. And to think you've seen nothing yet._ "

The Cragmite dictator broke into hysterical laughter, sounding particularly amused. His malicious shrieking made Ratchet's wish to break the screen even more intense. It began pouring out of the Lombax slowly as small, spasmodic movements ran through his entire frame.

" _What can I say? I've been a busy Cragmite. I couldn't leave the fate of the last Lombax at the hands of luck. I had to make sure you'll find an agonising death in case I get defeated. As long as you breathe, I will torment you until you die and make a favour to the Universe by ridding it off your pathetic presence!_ "

A violent trembling gripped his entire body, refusing to let Ratchet go due to his refusal to blow the screen to bits and break everything in the room. Anger became harder to contain at that point but he knew he had to listen to all of this if there was any possibility of finding a way out of this nightmare.

" _Now let's begin our game, shall we? Why don't you go to Zanifar and see what you've done to its poor inhabitants?_ If _you ever escape the lab. Oh don't be mad at me, you're the one who hacked the computer and initiated my project. Behold, the Cragmites_ _' last stand. Project After Omega! Hahahahahahaa!_ "

The screen became black, signifying the end of the message. The three of them stood still, stunned by the words of the transmitter. However, the screen powered up again.

" _Oh, and Lombaxes suck!_ " the Cragmite added before the glass surface became inanimate once more and the dark mirror returning to its place.

A piercing hiss violently harassed the hearing of the three occupants as a viridian blue gas began emitting from the vents of the ceiling, creating an eerie-looking mist as it thickened and formed dense clouds now hindering their vision.

"Damn you, Tachyon!" Ratchet stormed and attacked the screen with his melee weapon, his rage so great it dragged his mind into a treacherous belief that he was posing a threat to the enemy of his species.

He smote the now dead computer again and again, turning its lowest part to useless bits as it lost its intactness with every strike of the OmniWrench. His eyes began to sting as hot liquid made his vision blurry. He shut them and unleashed a violent stream with every powerful strike he delivered, some of them accompanied with cries of wrath. His cheeks burned and his throat ached not only because of his excessive yelling but because of the tears he refused to shed.

After a few moments the effect of hate left his form and it was getting harder and harder for him to move his arms or feet, let alone raise his OmniWrench which now felt like a dead weight to him. It was then the continuous sound of the gas leak reached his hearing and turning the other way brought him face to face with a dense fog. He instantly regretted every deep breath his outburst had forced him to take.

His whole body suddenly felt chained to the ground. An invisible burden was laid on him and clenched by gravity, he leaned his back on the damaged screen and slid to a sitting position.

Defeat overshadowed him like a giant beast intangible to others but perfectly seen by Ratchet's mind.

 _Project After Omega. Inhabitants of Zanifar._

 _Cragmite infused with a Loki's essence._

Ratchet knew he couldn't help anyone. And because of that, he felt so helpless. The gas could be deadly for all he knew. All was lost. Chaos unfolded.

Wishing to hide, to disappear, he buried his face in his hands in a futile attempt to disregard reality itself.

A small hand gently yet hesitantly touched him. Driven by curiosity Ratchet revealed his face and saw Clank right in front of him. Compassion and understanding ran across his face but Ratchet could sense raw sadness in the way the robot stared at him and the more he was exposed to it the more his eyes welled up with restrained tears.

Clank tried to come up with any words, anything that could spark any sort of lively movement in the Lombax but it was harder than he believed it would be. "We must find a way to escape, Ratchet" he managed to mutter though no trace of hope or confidence was there to accompany his words.

To his surprise this was enough to bring his friend right up on his feet again. Ratchet's eyes lingered on Clank's warm face before standing up. He searched around for Qwark only to find him lying on the floor, already passed out by the effects of the gas. He found it strange that he never heard a thud coming from him but he momentarily concluded it was because of his uncontrollable rampage that had flooded the room with sounds of violent strikes.

His eyelids felt heavy and he was punished with a terrible headache for his resistance towards sweet, enticing unconsciousness. However, his wish to overpower the weakness running through him could persist only for so long.

Everything twirled noiselessly and the only thing Ratchet felt before oblivion embraced him was the hard contact with the metal floor which sent an acute pain on his arm as he fell on it. Thankfully it didn't torture him for long for all senses disappeared and the blackness danced with blue shadows that carried him away from the reality he so had desired to escape earlier.

Panic made his actions swift and prompt. Clank performed a quick scan on both Ratchet and Qwark's forms and the results he received were thankfully not so ominous; the gas only worked as a sedative which meant they would be conscious in a few hours. To counter this momentary relief, a foreboding thought came to him; Tachyon wouldn't kill Ratchet after announcing he had prepared a game for him. A twisted, anguishing game at best.

Uneasiness filled him with a craving to find a way out. He surmised that since the gas couldn't affect him he could try to detect some sort of exit, maybe even by trying to bring back the elevator while hoping the Cragmites they had eluded wouldn't be on the surface waiting for them.

Before he could take a step, he spotted an orb floating his way. As the sphere surpassed his reflexes, he was shot by electricity that sent a shockwave through his entire circuitry and rendered his sensors out of function. He realised one thing before being carried into paralysing unconsciousness. Not only Dr. Nefarious was equipped with orbs of gratuitous immobilization.

 **~ End of Part II: Storm ~**

* * *

 **A/N: "R-Evolve" by 30 Seconds to Mars. Oh yes, that song definitely helped me write the ending.**

 **I honestly thought this chapter would be much shorter. Damn. And there's something about it I don't like. I don't know if it's the mindless, insane action or the fact that the ending creates more questions without resolving all of the already existing ones but I think I kind of failed on plot consistency on this one. Rest assured, things will be explained as the story progresses.**

 **How do you think I'm doing on my portrayal of characters? I'm especially concerned about how I write our protagonists and as I still consider myself fairly new to the franchise I'd like to hear opinions. If there's something I can improve on let me know.**

 **Thank you for reading. Until next time!**


	14. A Fateful Rising

**A/N: As always, I've been gone way too long. As I said, the story is going to progress slowly but steadily. Many sincere thanks to those who still stick with me. It is very comforting. And as for the new readers, arm yourselves with patience. I'm a terrible fanfic writer when it comes to updates.**

 **Disclaimer: All characters presented in the chapter belong to Insomniac Games. I only own the Grey Mages and the Unseen Destroyer.**

* * *

 **~ Part III: Downfall ~**

 **Chapter 13: A Fateful Rising**

" _Yes, it sounds impossible but after I saw my sidekick and my sidekick's sidekick faint from the vicious blue gas I, Captain Qwark, also passed out. I know, I know, hard to believe. Then I awoke in complete darkness, having no way to move around. I don't know where I am and I don't know where Ratchet and Clank are but the cadets are probably being held hostage and now I have to go save them. But that's just like eating breakfast for a hero. This lab cannot defeat me. No matter what it does, it will never vanquish me. My physical condition has offered me excessive endurance and my intelligence is beyond natural borders. Its mechanical mind will never outwit me. After all, when the evil Dr. Nefarious was trying to gain control over time I was the one who made technology my-_ "

"Qwark, shut up."

The first thing that penetrated Ratchet's blissful lethargy was a distant mumbling that slowly carried him into consciousness. Steadily his heart resumed its normal beating and sent surges of blood through his body, rendering it active again. His head felt heavy and even though his senses had returned to him he had trouble throwing away the immense, invisible burden on him that kept him nailed to the floor. But as soon as he overcame the drowsiness that numbed his form Qwark's exaggerating narrations quickly added to his headache. He tried to stand up noiselessly with a palm on his forehead but a silent groan was accidentally let loose.

"You're… not abducted?" Qwark asked in a way that made Ratchet frown as an underlying disappointment distorted the sound of his usually proud and loud voice."And who will be the hostage I'm gonna save? If there are no hostages there's no news coverage."

"I'm glad you're okay too" was Ratchet's cutting retort. The dense blackness prevented the discerning of the slightest detail and despite holding no material form Ratchet felt entangled in it, an unnerving feeling which intensified when he failed to detect the bright green optics of his friend. "Clank? Are you here?"

He couldn't tell eyes wide open from eyes shut and shifting his head to various directions in hope of finding Clank brought him face to face with nothing but conquering darkness that had smothered all shapes and colours. Ratchet had frozen in his place in fear of tumbling and kept searching around with restless glimpses. An unsettling quietude flooded through the grand room, confounding the Lombax. The mere sound of his breaths started creeping him out and for brief moments he was unable to recognise whether he was awake or still in a deep slumber.

A groan made Ratchet swiftly break out of his stagnant state. Turning to his right he saw a pair of glowing eyes that somewhat extinguished the darkness. The vastness of it was lost to the faint green light and Ratchet found its reign crumbled by the robot he was worrying about seconds earlier.

"Clank!" Ratchet exclaimed loudly with joy evident in his call. He made his way to the robot, now no longer in fear of stumbling. Once there he found Clank on the floor with a small hand near his antenna, looking rather disoriented. "Welcome back, pal" he patted his friend's shoulder.

"There goes the second hostage" Qwark murmured which instantly resulted in being elbowed by someone who was proving more and more that he wasn't skilled enough to hold the position of his sidekick. He really should listen to his agent more often.

"I am glad to see you two are unharmed" Clank warmly said while he quickly found himself fully aware of his surroundings.

Shortly he activated the Clank Light, an upgrade offered to him by Big Al and an object that had greatly assisted him and Ratchet during their search of the twin Nether siblings. Graced by the radiant light the orb emitted, the three of them were finally able to overpower the blackness.

With the room dimly illuminated Clank happened to lay his sight on the big screen behind Ratchet. He took an impetuous step backwards with a desperate look plaguing the full circles of his eyes and fingers anxiously hiding into balled hands. "If we are to trust in Tachyon's message, something terrible must be happening on Zanifar. We should leave at once."

"No chance. Ratchet broke the elevator" Qwark quickly added and he was penetrated by a slight jerk as soon as he looked at Ratchet; the Lombax glared at him with an open indication of his thoughts. When Qwark realised Ratchet's increasing mood for murder he paced around the spacious chamber and tinkered with a device he picked up from his inventory.

His angry stare created a furrow between his eyebrows and the pressure applied on his forehead made Ratchet's headache worsen. He found himself battling the memory of the Cragmite emperor reminding him of past rage, a memory his entire body physically responded to. Like a chain leading to a source of inner pain, he instantly remembered Orion's cruel judgment and then how coldly he took the secret of his true name with him, a secret that belonged to him but he could never retrieve. Kaden's Armor glowing beneath the mesmerizing light of Azalea's moon, a dreamlike image twisted, distorted, stained by a father's desperate message and the suppressed screams of his final moments; they were always there, always in the back of his head reminding him how agonizing and tormenting Kaden's death had been.

"We still have to save Zanimal" the glimmering sands of the desert planet retained the beauty with which Ratchet remembered Egandor and Asyrian's homeworld. The thought of his friends being subjected to the Unseen Destroyer's tyrannical retaliation filled him with better left unspoken images. The Coliseum would be forgotten upon the far crueler things Thírios would do to Zanimal's inhabitants once he conquered it. "Is there time for Zanimal?"

"I cannot be certain" Clank lowered his head and fixated his gaze on the floor, as if searching for shattered pieces of solace. "What I do know is that we must go to planet Zanifar fast. The Fongoids there are in great danger."

"I know but…" Ratchet's eyes lingered on Clank's form. He stood with mouth agape as he failed to find the right words to speak and his face contorted in accordance with the bewilderment he was overwhelmed by "Are you saying that we can't save both?"

For a while it was difficult for Clank to lift his head and look at his friend. When he found the courage to do so, he was forced to encounter Ratchet's sorrowful eyes that held a peculiar glint; it was not reminiscent of anything regarding life or enthusiasm, it seemed to blur the intense green of his eyes with a murky veil. He wondered whether it was caused by tears that stubbornly refused to fall "I am very sorry, Ratchet."

"Fantastic! I just fixed our day!" Qwark announced vociferously and ran towards the duo with the device held above his head. Even if Clank was the only one paying attention to him, he went on. "No need to thank me. It's only a matter of time now. All we have to do is wait."

"Yeah, like we can do anything else" Ratchet snorted with ill-concealed doubt and placed his hands on either side of his waist.

"Don't deem it like something easy, waiting can be strenuous. Especially if…" Qwark's speech slowed down until it reached a temporary halt.

"If what?" Clank wished to learn what the pause had withheld, motivated by curiosity.

"I, ah… I _really_ must use a bathroom right now. Even a bag would do" Qwark let them know with a nervous, shameful chuckle.

"Great, did I really have to know?" Ratchet almost recoiled at the statement. With a sigh he supported his weigh on the nearby wall and folded his arms. "Anything else?"

"I should recharge soon" Clank announced and rigid steps led him right next to Ratchet. "I am feeling rather exhausted" he spoke in a saturnine manner and thereafter barely moved, as though he was trying to preserve his energy. "And you?"

"Me? I'm fine" Ratchet claimed with a zeal that even reached the borders of arrogance for everyone seemed to be in need of something except him. However, the grin was erased from his face as soon as a sound of complaint produced by his stomach was heard. The hungry Lombax rested a hand on his stomach and laughed nervously, feeling his cheeks heating up due to his awkwardness. "Okay, almost fine."

Four hours passed by during which Qwark narrated stories of his heroic deeds that Ratchet had a hard time believing. Clank wandered around the room in an attempt to find a way of breaking out, a task often interrupted by the immediate need to keep Ratchet from attacking Qwark. However, his research proved to have been futile in the end. It was after Clank had surmised there was no way of escaping this place that he approached Ratchet to let him know of his investigation's results. What he found though was a very angered Lombax swearing he would make sure to render Qwark incapable of using the B20 Crotchitizer. Two heroic monologues and one enumeration of all the qualities that make Ratchet a totally unworthy sidekick later, the Lombax began making his way to the unsuspecting celebrity to turn his threat into an action. If it hadn't been for Clank's interference, the green-dressed hero's aforementioned device would have remained cold and forgotten for a long time.

"Find anything?" Ratchet finally asked after guaranteeing that Qwark was not in danger anymore.

"Despite the constant disturbances coming from you two" the robot began with a strict look. "I was able to fully inspect the chamber. But I found nothing that could help us escape."

"Escape?" Qwark questioned with a puzzled look and directed his gaze to the gadget he had used hours ago. "But I thought after activating this… thingy, we only had to wait to be-"

"Keep it down" Ratchet accompanied his demand with a stark gesture and rushed to the wall. He turned his head sideways so as his ear could come in contact with the compact surface. "I'm hearing something. Sounds like thrusters."

Clank approached him with a hopeful look. After four hours of complete stillness, any sort of change could be considered a positive occurrence. He leaned his head on the wall and searched for the sound Ratchet had described. "You are correct. I can hear it as well." Clank detached himself from the wall and sent a concerned look at Ratchet. "Someone is here, but who?"

"I hope it's Thírios so we can finish what we started" Ratchet responded while standing his ground, still close to the wall. Only by uttering the hybrid's name, he could already feel his guts seethe and his body stiffen.

" _Step away from the west wall, guys_ " a familiar female voice was heard through the device in Qwark's hand.

Despite the slight distortion of the voice caused by the gadget, Ratchet recognised it instantly. He saw past the stern nature of the demand and felt the genuine concern lying beneath which left its traces on him as his features softened. "Tal?"

" _Detonating explosives in 10, 9, 8…_ " the unexpected ally began voicing the unforgiving countdown, steadily and firmly.

As numbers echoed in the atmosphere, the three of them made sure to create a great distance between them and the wall before hiding behind anything that seemed strong enough to withstand an explosion. During these seconds the voice worked as a wordless sound filling the background. It was after he had taken cover that Ratchet concentrated on what the voice was saying. Seconds had never seemed longer.

" _3, 2, 1!_ "

A fierce, violent wave blew against them. Ratchet shut his eyes and covered his ears as the enormous gust collided with his form. He struggled to remain where he was and opened his green eyes slightly to make sure Clank and Qwark hadn't been swept away by the sheer nuclear energy.

The catalytic event reached its end and only falling debris could be now heard. Ratchet stood up slowly and saw that he was standing before burning ruins and igneous fragments of metal abandoning their flying spree. Puffs of hot wind blustered towards him and once his vision focused, he found himself staring at Aphelion and Talwyn Apogee's starship floating on the fiery horizon.

His red starship flew right on the edge of the wide hole and opened her cockpit so the captives of the lab could enter. As much as Ratchet didn't enjoy allowing Qwark to enter his precious ship, he was aware he had to make an exception this time. Clank proceeded forward and Ratchet followed immediately. Before getting into Aphelion he turned back and absorbed the devastating scene of the lab and the broken screen where Tachyon's ghost had appeared. His sight left the computer with a bitter glare and he took glimpses of the pieces of metal glowing red, promising extreme pain to whoever touched them. He mentally winced at the thought as he hopped into his ship.

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

The two starships had landed near an enormous ship with green paint, right in front of the laboratory's entrance and with a perfect view of the Myzangard volcano.

"Good job back there, Tal" Ratchet complemented with a smile while approaching his Markazian saviour.

"And good job keeping yourselves out of trouble" a witty reply impulsively escaped her. With little interest to think through her actions, Talwyn paced towards Ratchet and pulled him into a tight embrace. Ratchet didn't have much time to react to it as she broke away and took a concentrated look of his face. With a sinking heart she noticed the scratches running across Ratchet's face. Her blue eyes became wide and circular, staring at the Lombax with suppressed fear. "What happened to you?"

No matter how much he wanted to move away from her horrified stare, Ratchet willingly stood there and inwardly sucked in all the care she was silently exposing to him with those fearful eyes set on him. "It's a long story."

Talwyn breathed a brief and soft sigh, as if she didn't wish to disturb the atmosphere and simply kept looking at Ratchet, devoid of any words. Looking past Ratchet's shoulder, she spotted Clank and rushed to him. "Clank! Are you okay?"

"We are all fine" Clank gave a straightforward response and accepted Talwyn's worry with a warm, reassuring expression. "To be honest, I cannot help but wonder how you were able to locate us."

"I was worried by the lack of news from you two. I checked the satellite scans every day but there was no trace of you in Polaris. I knew you were travelling to a different galaxy, but…" her lips were sealed by an ache in her chest and her eyes sought for Ratchet. He stared back at her with forlorn viridescent eyes. "I was anticipating your return" she wearily muttered before averting her pair of blue orbs away from the Lombax's form. "About four hours ago I got a signal from Qwark's old detection device."

A sudden surge of interest made Ratchet want to participate in the conversation "Don't tell me you found us thanks to him!" he said aloud and pointed at Qwark, who was busy admiring his muscles with the use of a small mirror.

"Well, it's thanks to his gadget that I was able to pinpoint your location. Qwark bought it as a souvenir from the Museum of Intergalactic History when he visited it for the first time. What makes me wonder is how the device managed to work. Cronk and Zephyr used to work with those on the battlefield but now they're considered obsolete" Talwyn's explanation seemed to convince Clank.

Ratchet on the other hand was left staring at Qwark who was now kissing the mirror. He withdrew his gaze slowly while trying to fight the distraction caused by Qwark's narcissism. "You must send help to Zanifar" he began after succeeding to focus on Talwyn. "Something bad is happening there but I don't know what exactly."

"How do you know?"

"I will explain later, but trust me on this" an imploring expression cleansed the usual boldness and determination off Ratchet's face, a peculiar occurrence which left Talwyn's with no words to speak.

"And what will we be doing?" Clank stepped in and asked, with optics firmly set on the Lombax.

"We've got to defend Zanimal. If Thírios isn't after us, I bet he's planning to make the people of Zanimal pay for helping us escape. Even if it was only two of them who helped us" Ratchet stated, his voice stripped off its normal fearlessness.

Clank was bewildered by Ratchet's unusual lack of confidence but decided against pointing out the excessive worry his friend was exhibiting. "We cannot be sure that Zanimal is in danger, Thírios might not even have reached the planet. But we do know Zanifar is in desperate need of help right now."

"How do we know? By trusting in Tachyon's words? What if it's some sort of diversion so Thírios can turn Zanimal into dust?"

"Wait, what?!" Talwyn exclaimed in shock. "Tachyon? Okay, that's it! I demand to know what's going on right now!"

"Ratchet, please" Clank took slow steps toward his friend, speaking silently. Ratchet could sense fragility in his voice and had heard the underlying fear hiding behind a steady tone. "I hate to say this but we cannot afford to rush and save both planets. I do not think Tachyon was lying. We have to help Zanifar first and then I promise you we can go inspect Zanimal's condition."

In spite of the lack of reaction from Ratchet, he was letting Clank's words flow into his mind and the struggle in his head was contradicting the stillness of his form. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath in a futile attempt to get rid of the tension aggravating his body. "Alright. We're going to Zanifar."

"Awesome! When do we take off?" Qwark made his presence apparent after evading his state of uncharacteristic subtleness.

Desperation began materializing all over Ratchet's face. It was then when Talwyn put her plan in motion. "Actually since I'll be away for a while, you're in charge of training the recruits. You're expected to get to Igliak ASAP. Vorn's orders."

"I'll be training rookies? Good thinking, no one's better at training losers who are going to die in battle than me" Qwark boasted with an exhilarating voice and quickly hopped into his ship. "See you soon, cadets. Good luck! You'll need it without me" Qwark announced with a loud, overconfident voice before shutting the cockpit of his ship and taking off into the fiery-orange sky.

Ratchet and Talwyn bent their arms in front of their faces to shield their eyes from the soil and dust hovering after the ship's departure while Clank looked at the bright tail the starship had drawn onto the sanguine sky.

"If I were to express an opinion" the robot broke the silence "I would say that this is totally unwise."

"Relax" Talwyn exhaled with a light, reassuring voice. "Qwark will only _think_ he's training them. Vorn is conducting some sort of tolerance test and he thought Qwark's going make the test even more… challenging."

"Can't blame him" Ratchet let the remark slip out of his mouth. When he remembered what Talwyn had said earlier, the mood for wittiness abandoned him and he looked at Talwyn with a revitalized hope "Wait, you said you're going to be away from Igliak?"

"Yes. I'm coming with you. Whatever this is you've gotten yourselves into, I want to help" she confessed while looking at them both with pleading eyes, as if waiting for their agreement on her statement.

"In that case, we will meet you on Zanifar" Clank accepted Talwyn's help. "Now let us move. We cannot waste anymore time."

Ratchet agreed and followed the Zoni robot, advancing towards Aphelion.

"Ratchet, will you tell me what's going on? That armor you're wearing, didn't you tell me this is why you followed that stranger? What does it have to do with Tachyon?" Talwyn reached the border of shouting to eliminate the distance between her and Ratchet.

"No time! I'll tell you on our way there" was all Ratchet could yell back before following Clank's lead by getting into Aphelion.

Once Talwyn took command of her own ship, the sound of engines coming out of their motionless state permeated the area and overpowered the perpetual noise of fluid fire descending from the top of the Myzangard Volcano. The coal-black haze originating from the burnt earth the lava rivers left in their trail was torn by Aphelion and the Apogee starship. The ships flew towards the ornate space. Glowing stars soon appeared beyond the glass of the cockpit of each ship, seemingly showing the way towards Polaris.

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

The journey back to the Polaris Galaxy had a soothing effect on Ratchet for he experienced it as something akin to a homecoming. His return to familiar constellations, asteroid belts and sectors had lasted a while since the Twin Galaxies as well as Ceilif lay parsecs away from all he defined as home. This astral voyage had provided Ratchet and Clank with the opportunity to speak with Talwyn through their ships' communication systems, narrating everything that had occurred since their departure from Meridian City with an unknown man who claimed to hold information regarding Kaden and the Lombaxes.

With a newfound purpose leading her incentive, Talwyn swore to herself to reach the end of Tachyon's insane plan come what may. Even Ratchet, who never exhibited signs of fear and hesitation no matter how dire the circumstances he and Clank fought under, couldn't lie to himself; he was expecting the worst, especially after considering how much time had elapsed since the activation of Project After Omega. His ears senselessly drooped when Tachyon's voice surfaced to the conscious part of his mind.

"Now entering Korthos Sector. I'm detecting minor presence of Agorian ships patrolling" Aphelion informed through her speakers. Ratchet almost flinched due to the abrupt pull into reality but he welcomed the distraction.

"Agorians are the last thing we need right now" the starship's pilot stated. "Any way of evading them?"

"They seem to be heading for the Agorian Battleplex. If you don't lock on them, you will be able to land on Zanifar without the need to engage in space combat" Aphelion advised.

"I can already spot Zanifar, Ratchet. Do not change your course and keep your speed steady" Clank declared from the passenger's seat as his keen vision captured the gigantic orb floating steadily into the dark.

Ratchet was quick in enabling the ship's communication systems and with the push of a few buttons he managed to reach his co-traveller. "Tal, we're about to reach Zanifar. What's your status?"

The sound wasn't flawless as static was emitted through the speakers before the Markazian's voice was heard. "I'm already there. You won't like this, Ratchet. Just… make sure you land somewhere with shade. _Don't_ leave the ship beneath the sunrays. And come fast."

The communication was ended abruptly and violent silence made the atmosphere heavy. Ratchet instinctively held the wheel much tighter, applying pressure while extending his finger to fully grasp it as though it would make the ship go faster. He didn't bother to glance at Clank, his mind was too occupied with different scenarios of what could have happened to the planet, apprehension weaving fearful thoughts that concerned Talwyn's safety.

His tail was relatively still, an event which unfolded on rare occasions and something Clank interpreted as a sign of sorrow. Silence was the most helpful factor of clarifying one's mental state most of the times and at this moment silence told Clank that Ratchet was so worried his concentration as well as his rational thinking could be clouded. "I am sure Miss Apogee knows how to keep herself away from danger. What I cannot fathom though is what she meant by telling us to land somewhere with shade."

"This is what's bugging me. Did she mean the sun's become dangerous? Is that even possible?" Ratchet emphasized after deciding to ignore all this anger caused by possibilities of Talwyn being harmed in any way. Although he knew she was capable of handling danger, worry still sneaked above all emotions pryingly when her safety was on the line. He surmised it must have been due to the different way he had begun seeing her a while ago…

"We have reached Zanifar's mesosphere" Aphelion's announcement once again dragged him out of stress-conjuring thoughts and he couldn't be more thankful for that.

"Can you spot Talwyn's ship?"

"Affirmative but I have to reach the planet's troposphere to accomplish that" Aphelion acknowledged.

Ratchet turned his gaze to Clank, uneasiness settling in his two emerald eyes. "We don't know what we're dealing with here. Stay alert."

 **TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT**

The ground felt extraordinarily hot, even if sunbeams never found a way to reach the particular area. The heat even managed to somewhat penetrate Ratchet's hoverboots. He felt as though he was surrounded by an illusion, a persistent hallucination as the scenery in the far corners of what his eyes could reach seemed wavy and looked like the terrain there was literally melting. The two of them had set foot on the planet a while ago, embraced by an eerie stillness that challenged their composure. Ratchet had longed to encounter vast green valleys and small creeks and lakes as an affirmation that the planet had eluded Tachyon's wrath but before him lay only withered plant life.

"No sign of Talwyn" Ratchet noted with anguish becoming more apparent in his moves and voice.

"I am sure she is okay" Clank attempted to alleviate his friend's concern. "The ground is excessively heated, which is rather suspicious."

"Yeah, I noticed. Everything seems… off" Ratchet voiced his own suspicions as he took steps around and let his eyes wander around.

Clank didn't search for answers with such restlessness for his gaze fell far in the distance where the landscape looked like fragments of broken glass imperfectly pieced together due to the high temperature. Into the distorted, distant image a celestial body resembling a sun started to ascend. The sentient robot stepped to its direction hesitantly, all systems within him working hard, slightly loudly as a result of his utter confusion. Clank observed a red solar halo around the orb as it revealed itself. All that surrounded him and all that where above or beneath him froze in place, left aside as things unimportant. For a moment he thought his sensors caught Ratchet's voice but he hadn't listened to what the Lombax had said, absorbed by the peculiar sight before him. No matter how fast his gears turned, no explanation emerged.

"Clank?" Ratchet called and walked to his side.

He was left speechless as soon as he laid his eyes on the rising orb and its red light that fell on the surface, prevailing before resistance even began. "What the hell is that?" every word was spoken slowly and seemed to momentarily falter while his fists clenched as a result of sensing threat.

The mysterious orb ascended even more with a pace faster than that of a regular sun and spread its light to chase away every shadow in the region. The higher the globe moved the more it was covered by a vermillion colour, shining down the planet a peculiar light that made everything around look hazy. Ratchet glimpsed at the far off terrain again and could discern every detail as if seeing through crystal clear water. On the contrary, everything within close proximity looked like it was concealed by mild, maroon-coloured fog.

In a matter of seconds, the menacing light fell onto Ratchet and Clank and it instantly showed its merciless face. It was experienced by the two as a cruel touch, a burning hand invading them in split seconds. Ratchet cursed because of the sharp pain that crossed his form, though the ache seemed to slightly diminish on his torso and legs that were protected by the silver armor. Clank cried out in agony for his sisterboards became overly heated without a single warning. Before either of them could grasp a chance of reacting, they felt someone pulling them backwards with force and they gracelessly landed away from the life-stealing rays.

"Have you gone mad? I told you to stay in the shades!"

The frantic voice was heard very close to Ratchet and it gave a slight pain in his ears. Remainders of that strange, burning sensation lingered for a little longer before disappearing completely. He wearily half-opened his eyes and saw Talwyn with her jetpack activated and an expression of utter terror replacing her usually calm and benevolent look. "What is that?" he asked in between breaths he was taking in order to recover from the shock.

"I don't know, what I do know is that it's very dangerous" Talwyn exclaimed and rubbed her hands together as they were throbbing even if they held no different colour than her natural complexion. The pain had almost fully receded and she hoped the effect of the red rays would only be temporary.

Ratchet quickly searched for Clank and found him standing near the Markazian, his optic lids closed and totally immobile. Unlike Talwyn's nervous inspecting, Ratchet knew there was no reason to display any concern. Clank was merely performing an internal check-out of his systems so as to be aware of any malfunctions that could have been possibly caused by the lethal rays. He waited patiently until his friend could check on his wellbeing.

Clank soon opened his green optics. "Everything seems to be working properly."

"That's good to hear" the Lombax said relatively quietly. Talwyn had expected a more joyful reaction but thought the lack of zeal from his side was a due to the effect of the rays leaving him weary.

Clank set his pair of optics to the gigantic orb hovering near the place where the sun had risen. "This is an artificial sphere, a body orbiting the planet and emitting rays which I believe do not simply emit excessive heat. They permeate the outer layers of all living things, for instance the skin of an organic, and cause damage to the tissue beneath them" Clank was able to assess the nature of this original phenomenon during his short exposure to its deadly cause.

He took a look around and his optics narrowed as if experiencing the pain from all the destruction that had been caused around "Plants withering from inside out. People burning from inside out." The robot turned to look at Ratchet and Talwyn without making any effort to hide that he was feeling discouraged. "If it keeps orbiting Zanifar the shades will not be able to save the locals for long."

"I don't think those rays are going to be the locals' only problem" Talwyn pronounced silently with an alarmed stare fixed on moving figures, their identities concealed by the great distance.

The crimson beams bathed the barren area as they fell from a slowly darkening sky, making the wilted grass seem blood-painted. The crowd was identified by the three as a gathering small army when pairs of yellow-glowing eyes became visible. Dark-coloured armors covered the thickened skins of the Cragmites with all types of weapons firmly held by gloved and clawed hands.

Searching the cause of Talwyn's stillness, Ratchet spotted more of the mutated enemies he had encountered on planet Everos. The thought of one more battle rendered him weary and his limbs suddenly became too heavy. He inhaled deeply to get prepared for what was to follow.

"They seem immune to the rays" Clank's observant nature intervened.

"We'll fight them from the shadows" Ratchet instructed before positioning Clank onto his harness.

Carmine light and salutary shades rivaled each other on the battlefield. The crimson orb joined the sun in its radiant game. Shadows scattered in the plain, offering a chance of survival and an unforgiving end to the careless. Ratchet wasn't yearning to become part of this treacherous festivity but he never retreated from a fight and that day he wasn't up to any changes. Especially since lives were at stake. Driven by prowess and with unconcealed boldness, he rushed forward.

He activated his hoverboots to reach the first shadowed spot as rapidly as possible. Once out in the ruthless light he felt the stinging pain all over, especially on his face where scratches were still somewhat open. This only lasted a few seconds for rescuing shades were finally reached. Ratchet mentally thanked the Grey Mages for the armor's masterful design which, to an extent, protected his body from the orb's cruelty. Thinking he couldn't afford any delays or clemency he opted for the Warmonger. Once approached by a squad, Ratchet fired in a speed that betrayed no regret or guilt. In spite of the weapon's heavy impact, it took three rockets to send them to the ground and the Lombax feared he would run out of ammunition before all enemies could be dealt with.

Thus the CryoMine Glove firmly covered his hand and Ratchet held his position, preparing for his next attack. Gunshot taking place right behind him forced him to immediately turn around and evaluate the situation. A sole Cragmite had attempted to assault him from behind but was unsuccessful. Instead, he was knocked on the ground rendered unable to help his allies in the battle. Searching for an explanation, Ratchet looked farther to his left and noticed Talwyn holding her blaster and hiding in the shade of a tree.

No enemy approached Ratchet for the time being and so he seized the opportunity to gain ground and reach the next safe point with the use of his hoverboots. The way there promised no kindness though and he had to endure the unwanted effect of the rays. One thing that made him hold on was that Clank was able to remain out of the light's grasp the entire time for he was facing the opposite direction and Ratchet's stature worked as a shelter for the diminutive robot.

The Lombax exhaled audibly once he arrived at a more secure spot. Indiscreet steps acknowledged him that danger was far from eliminated. With the CryoMine Glove still in hand, he aimed at the direction of the Cragmites. His experience in combat didn't fail him and as soon as the enemies drew even closer, Ratchet was already in position and was hence allowed to fire frost spheres quickly. As soon as the hostile creatures were bound in a motionless state, crystallized by the weapon's freezing effect, Ratchet took a firm hold of his OmniWrench and threw it towards the icy statues. The melee weapon turned the figures to smithereens before returning to its wielder's hand.

"Ratchet, we're clear here but there are more ahead. I'm moving to the next spot" Talwyn informed through her own communication device and Ratchet clearly heard the sound of her jetpack penetrate the air.

He glanced at the red discus that had risen to bring the end of life on the planet. The deep breath he took wasn't enough to provide him with sufficient strength but unknowingly, he followed the same tactic he used before in order to advance. His exposure to the unforgiving light was more painful than ever and Ratchet couldn't suppress a cry of agony on his way there. At that moment, Clank could swear he felt a terrible wave within him as though his cables had been violently pulled by a careless technician. In order to save his friend from his agony, he used his helipack as a means of helping Ratchet gain more speed. Still, it felt like time physics had been twisted to lengthen his ordeal. Eventually he reached the shades and he couldn't help panting once he deactivated his hoverboots.

His moment of recollection didn't last long however. Another squad of enemies approached him and no good intention was written on their claws and weapons. Ratchet persisted using the CryoMine Glove, then his OmniWrench to deal with them and it seemed like his endeavours were paying off, though only until the courage-bending click was heard. Two Cragmites were still unharmed, taking slow steps towards the Lombax and producing a wicked smile.

The ceaseless steps of the enemies made their intentions crystal clear. Ratchet stepped backwards with a worried look and a plan already in his mind, his actions deliberate, only to deceive. The two savage creatures aimed at the Lombax but before any trigger could be pulled they saw rockets flying their way. A small explosion threw them on the ground and the smoke quickly dissolved to reveal a Warmonger in Ratchet's hands.

"We're not done yet, Ratchet. There are more coming from behind us" Talwyn's voice was heard, accompanied by a steady static on the background.

Even though it was a needless act, Ratchet fixated his gaze on the direction they had come from and the sight before him confirmed Talwyn's statement. Another battalion was walking towards them decisively, the flare of a predator's longing to slay and devour present in their yellow eyes. But Ratchet's longing to stay alive and overpower Tachyon's rage was stronger, a blaze empowered by his undying wish to save the ones in need. Or maybe by the message his father had left him, even if he wouldn't admit it.

"Can you make it across the bridge?" he asked his female companion.

Talwyn stared ahead and saw a metallic bridge that had been built so as to provide passage over a dangerous gap. It was leading to a smaller area where shades reigned thanks to a rocky surface that seemed to reach the clouds and prevented the orb from ruling it with its destructive light. A cave was also carved there, leading to a shelter provided by natural forces.

"It's a long shot, there's a considerable distance between the bridge and our position" Talwyn concluded, feeling disheartened.

"It's our only shot! There's too many of them, we can't fight them forever" Ratchet's own daunted spirit found its way to his mind, determining his decisions.

There was silence between the two and only heavy footfall resonated on the field as an omen of impending devastation. Ratchet looked at the Markazian who remained out of the light's reach several meters away from him. Even if hope had deserted him a dominant instinct kept his trembling on check and motivated him to fight towards his survival. He felt too close to collapsing but there was one small, hardly lit flame within that made him keep on fighting even if exhaustion was written all over his face. When he looked at Talwyn, he got an idea of what he himself must have looked like as her face mirrored the same exertion and hopelessness.

A few seconds passed them by, one after the other, but not even hours would be enough to mentally prepare themselves to get out into the deathly light. Talwyn was the first to perform the dive into pure danger as she tore the air with her jetpack, neglecting the excessive pain on her face and her exposed hands while flying above the gap. At the same time Ratchet mustered enough strength to activate his hoverboots and make his way to the bridge as fast as he could, feeling as though the streams of lava from Everos were flowing on his own face now, then traversing his entire form slowly. So keen was the sense of burning he could swear his scratches were bleeding.

The gap was finally crossed and Talwyn found solace in the shadows, though her skin still hurt extensively. Even if her skin held no red marks she felt a prolonged pain strain her body. The white in her eyes reddened dangerously and standing upright required great effort. She observed Ratchet who had reached the other side of the bridge but stopped where he was. Suddenly, she found herself closer to the ground as her knees collided with the cool soil. Bewildered she noticed Ratchet standing only mere steps away from the shadows after he had crossed the bridge. Yet she didn't see him take those rescuing steps to his salvation and wonder what was running through his mind. She tried to call but only shallow air escaped her lips. Her knees weren't sufficient to keep her face away from the soil so she found herself placing her palms on the ground, losing eye contact with Ratchet.

"What are you doing?" Clank blurted impatiently after he made his way to the ground, putting himself under the orb's effect as well.

"Making sure we'll win this" Ratchet responded in determination, his voice sounding somewhat frail from the ceaseless pain. He grabbed his OmniWrench and quickly began turning a gear that was attached to the bridge, each movement making the suspended path move. "Go in the shades, Clank!"

"This is too dangerous" the robot insisted. His brief exposure to the red orb's light had already begun to cause great discomfort. He inwardly wondered how Ratchet and Talwyn had managed to endure the weakening effect while fighting.

"I said go in the shades! _Now_!" Ratchet snapped at his friend while glaring at him.

Clank almost stepped backwards but not because of Ratchet's abrupt speaking. His eyes were starting to become bloodshot and his facial wounds were slightly bleeding. Seeing his friend like this dragged him to the brink of desperation.

Even though he knew Clank hadn't moved as he had ordered, Ratchet continued with his task and the bridge was being pulled beneath the ground he stood on, dragging its end away from the field they fought on earlier. The army had stopped on their tracks, unable to overpass the great gap.

Ratchet sent a tired stare at the Cragmites' direction and saw that some of them were trying to gain momentum to jump on the other side. He knew he had to fully retract the bridge or else their strife would have been for nothing. The taste of copper made him look away. When he saw drops of blood on the mechanism he was handling he realised his scratches were bleeding and even Kaden's Armor couldn't stop his temperature from rising, intensifying his exhaustion.

One more turn and the bridge would be secured and away from any Cragmite's reach. No matter how much Ratchet tried to gather strength from this thought, it wasn't enough to move his arms one last time. His power had been drained and instead of pushing his OmniWrench he was now leaning on it.

Clank ignored his friend's fiery command and placed both hands on the tool, pushing it with as much power as he could muster. He looked at Ratchet with imploring, desolate eyes as he tried to make the OmniWrench move. Looking at Ratchet caused his internal systems to work irregularly for the Lombax looked as if he had nearly passed out on his own weapon.

No growling Cragmites could be heard. No heat could be sensed. No taste was provided by the blood in his mouth. The only thing he perceived into his swirling, semi-oblivious state was his breathing.

 _"Don't worry, I won't kill him. If he's young enough when I find him, I'll tell him what your filthy kind did to the Cragmites and I'll teach him how to kill. And he will kill for me only to find the Dimensionator and bring back the Cragmites."_

 _"You'll never find him or the Dimensionator."_

 _"Too bad you won't be alive to see how wrong you are. Hmm now that I think of it, I might consider sparing you if you agree to kneel before your emperor" Tachyon commanded and then laughed viciously._

 _Kaden's unstable breathing could be clearly heard. Ratchet could tell he was fighting back sobs. "Lombaxes never kneel."_

A small ounce of strength reanimated his hands. With eyes shut and with no control of his body he gripped the OmniWrench tightly to prevent a fall.

And unexpectedly, Ratchet felt it move.

A loud click filled his ears and was simultaneously picked up by Clank's sensors. The bridge had been secured. He didn't find it possible. He thought that being dangerously close to fainting, he was experiencing hallucinations.

"Ratchet, we are safe now. Can you walk?"

The voice had been too distant, to distorted to recognise. But he strangely found himself willing to listen. He felt a handle gripped on his one hand and movement. He wondered if he had managed to walk before falling straight to the ground to join Talwyn into stunning stillness, gravity too powerful to withstand. Everything but his breathing disappeared again. He breathed in and out before the sound of inhales and exhales faded into the distance as well.

After finding solace into the shadows Clank was the first to overcome the shock. His sight fell on the field on the other side of the gap. He found no enemy awaiting there, only a strange yet comforting silence residing on the plain. He took an inspecting glimpse of Ratchet and Talwyn who were lying unconscious near him.

Before worry could overtake him, an unfamiliar presence was detected and Clank turned his head towards the cave's opening. His sensors never sent faulty signals. It was only a Fongoid that had hesitantly crept out. The robot stared at him for a while, his gears racing to discover the local's motive. The Fongoid hid inside again and then used his staff to push two crates out of the cave before walking out of Clank's sight.

Clank recognised the crates and laughed in his usual, typical manner. He watched the boxes for a little longer, greeting luck as it finally decided to show its face.

Nanotech.

* * *

 **A/N: My ideas are so original I finished the chapter with Ratchet falling unconscious for the fifth time. I am a great writer, aren't I. It won't happen again, this is the last time.**

 **And for those who are rightfully going to call this a Haestrom mission copy, I swear I wrote down the idea of this chapter way before playing Mass Effect 2. I tried to** **differentiate the two by adding that small detail Clank noticed, about the rays leaving the outer layers unharmed while burning the tissue beneath.**

 **Part III is finally here and I can't wait to show you what's in store for Ratchet and Clank. Talwyn's going to accompany our beloved duo from now on.**

 **Thank you for reading. Until next time!**


	15. An Enigma and a Dilemma

**A/N: Yes, the story's still alive. Special thanks to Max Chronicle and SpaceWonder368 for their reviews and amazing, continuous support they show. Also thanks to Kairi671 and LombaxElite (what an epic name) for the follows. Seeing that Qwark is away for the time being, two other characters are going to make an appearance. Can you guess who they are? Let me know if you guessed right in your review. I really hope you enjoy the chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: Ratchet  & Clank and all related characters are property of Insomniac Games. I only own the Unseen Destroyer.**

* * *

 **Chapter 14: An Enigma and a Dilemma**

"That Lombax freed us from Dr. Nefarious' containment camp five years ago. He was helpless. We couldn't just leave him" one of the locals explained, sentences interrupted by ungainly, wordless exclamations.

"I see" Clank muttered, deep in deliberation. "We are most thankful for your help. My friends were severely weakened" he was quick in expressing his gratitude to the Fongoids.

Nanotech had worked wonders on Ratchet and Talwyn, as if it possessed the ability to erase events of the past that had already been written into history's timeless book. No mark or wound to remind of any battle existed and no exhaustion befogged their minds. The cave resided away from the wroth red orb, though its wraiths were still out there searching for lives to take in the form of unsaturated rays.

Talwyn drew away from the crowd of fidgety children. The chatter of adults faded away as she moved near a Fongoid whose clothing discriminated him from the rest of the locals. There were heavy fabrics falling over his regular attire looking of paramount quality. He also held an intricately crafted wooden staff with a glowing blue shard on its top.

The Markazian walked close to the Fongoid, surmising he was the leader of the community. His friendly gaze motivated her to speak to him. "Were you able to bring all villagers here?" she wondered.

"We left no one behind" was the Fongoid's direct answer, hinting no doubt. "But the crops… all destroyed. No idea how we'll manage to fend for ourselves. I suppose we'll have to trade with Quantos now" he instantly gave a grimace of disgust. "Their food tastes terrible."

Ratchet was a few feet away and didn't bother to listen to any conversations. Ever since he managed to overcome his injuries, he only stood near the entrance of the cave and stared outside with stillness guarding his gravest thoughts. He was unable to make them drift away into the crimson light where they could evanesce, never to torment him again. He kept on trying to interpret that change in him, these negative thoughts that burdened his mind and chased away equanimity. They took the place of the waves of spontaneity that used to lead him from dawn 'till dusk. Lighthearted days had been lost in the murk of past years. Had he really grown up so fast? It seemed like yesterday since the days when he was trying to figure out which wrench was more suitable for fixing a ship's thrusters. Perhaps this quest had gotten too personal to allow him to think clearly. He could only see it as fighting Tachyon for the second time, as if he was alive and trying to put an end to his life so the world can forget that the Lombaxes ever existed.

 _"Now let's begin our game, shall we? Why don't you go to Zanifar and see what you've done to its poor inhabitants? If you ever escape the lab. Oh don't be mad at me, you're the one who hacked the computer and initiated my project. Behold, the Cragmites' last stand. Project After Omega!"_

Ratchet shut his eyes to deliver himself from the memory that was making him even more vexed. He abandoned the stillness which served as nothing but a warden for his unbreakable doubt that shrouded his spirit with a veil of dejection. He walked towards Clank and Talwyn who were talking with the amiable Fongoid chief.

"We don't know what's deeper though" the inhabitant of Zanifar confessed. Ratchet quickly deduced that he had lost part of the discussion. "Nobody dares to go farther. I'd go myself but I'm claustrophobic."

"Can you show us where it is?" Clank questioned.

The Fongoid walked with rushed movements, heading into the cave's darker part beyond the crowd. Clank made sure not to falter as hurried steps helped him catch up.

"He believes there might be a way to get rid of the _Red Sun_ , as they call it" the Markazian followed the same course after gently pulling Ratchet by his hand. The haze of troubled thoughts receded immediately, urgency bringing him back to reality.

The spot they reached was barely touched by the voices of intimidated dwellers, though distant echoes prevailed over natural silence. Ratchet spotted a crudely circular opening turning the umber-brown soil into a seemingly tiny black hole at the far corner of the caveway. A slight frown cast a shadow on his bright pair of emerald orbs as he wondered whether the answers lay beyond the subterranean trail.

"You want _us_ to go in there?" Ratchet asked the affable Fongoid with an index finger lazily pointing at the opening of the underground pathway.

"There's something there. We've been hearing a lot of clattering and honestly, none of us want deadly robotic worms jumping out of this hole" was the answer the Lombax received from the local.

"You said there's an underground base underneath" Talwyn remembered being told a few minutes ago, wishing to establish the fact that their venture wouldn't be in vain.

"These are only speculations but some of the villagers believe it, yes" the Fongoid confirmed Talwyn's statement to an extent before producing yet another wordless exclamation.

Ratchet was not entirely convinced that entering the underground tunnel was a good idea but he had to find a way to consider it as sufficient for now. With a sigh and after a brief glimpse at the cave's ceiling in search for elusive hope, he took one step ahead to position the tip of his hoverboot right at the edge of the deep hollow. "Here goes. Come on, Clank" he spoke and took that daring leap, letting gravity pull his form beneath the dry soil and away from the dim vermilion rays that pervaded the cave as reminders of the danger outside.

His descent ended with an impeccable landing after elegance shepherded his mid-air flip. Ratchet arose and explored the parched earth around him with a spark of inquisitiveness seemingly brightening the green of his eyes. The sound of small, rapidly rotating propellers tore the air like wings of steel and it wasn't long until Clank's feet touched the ground lightly like feathers behind Ratchet.

"You're not leaving too, are you? What will we do if these Cragmites show up again?" the Fongoid attempted to make Talwyn cease every movement when she made her way near the gap.

Her blue orbs sent daggers to the one preventing her from following the same course as Ratchet and Clank but her ire melted and dissolved into the empathy her round eyes reflected when she saw the blistering disquiet of the Fongoid. She raised her thin eyebrows when the sound of worrisome discussions reached her pointy ears, the need to help the defenseless civilians already dictating her next actions with unconquerable decisiveness.

Talwyn crouched above the wide hole, her restless gaze exploring the barren surfaces of soil that constituted the entrance to the subterranean path. "I'll stay with the Fongoids. You go on" she loudly informed her companions. Her voice travelled among the begrimed rocks and beyond the faded shadows the weak crimson rays generated before it diffused in the underground area with a resonating effect.

"Okay. We'll meet you in a while" Ratchet replied, looking at the opening's direction. Hoping his response had reached the surface, he turned to lay his eyes on the path ahead that was domed by calcified soil.

The two adventurers trekked into the subsurface track straitened by emerging rocks and obstructed by brown particles floating around, carried away with every movement to counterfeit a dusty mist. With every step, a fearful thought played out in Ratchet's mind; he saw himself stumbling into a vulnerable part of the earth and becoming sunken in a landslide as if claimed by the mightiness of a whirlwind. A brief glimpse behind him reassured him of Clank's presence and his vigilant stare was fixed ahead again.

They were taken aback by an overloud noise that inundated the place. Ratchet's attention was impulsively driven to the source of the noise while Clank was harassed by an abrupt jolt before turning behind to search the reason behind the violent commotion. Excessive amounts of soil cascaded from above like a solid cataract and the light dust that floated aimlessly before coalesced into an ochre-coloured avalanche.

"Look out!" was Ratchet's instinctive warning and swiftly reached out to grab Clank.

The Zoni robot broadened the distance between himself and the solid brown mist that turbulently rushed towards him. Trying to overlook that excessive flow of electricity through his circuitry which made him feel highly deterred, Clank darted towards Ratchet with his small hand outstretched to hold his friend's. Million grains of soil were already sweeping away the steady ground beneath his feet and the earth seemed to turn into a wild torrent, causing him to momentarily loose his balance.

Ratchet noticed that and in a matter of split seconds dove into the ever-moving havoc, flouting the ominous manifestation of the earth's power. A strong will for survival had numbed all rationality within his mind and without regarding his own safety he swung his arm backwards and struck his melee weapon into a nearby dried surface. The evenly outstretching edges of the OmniWrench became entangled in some thick roots that protruded from the stable soil, providing Ratchet with a steady object to hold on to.

"Clank, grab my hand!" he shouted as he stretched out his other arm. All the while the impetus of the cascading soil was attempting to break his balance and make him relinquish the handle of his weapon that was giving him a chance of survival. His solid grip on the OmniWrench already sent an acute pain through his arm and his partly closed eyes and lowered eyebrows indicated he was struggling to remain where he was, striving to withstand the force of the earth.

The robot slipped but quickly snatched the ground and stood up despite the violent flow of soil that was bent on submerging him into the treacherous earth. A surge of resolution abated the fear in him and Clank seized the opportunity to regain his balance and run a couple steps before making a jump to reach Ratchet's rescuing hand.

Leather came in contact with alloy as soon as Ratchet's gloved hand seized Clank's. Forthwith, Ratchet pulled himself and Clank post-haste right behind the steady surface where his OmniWrench was nailed. A burning sensation conquered his arms, ache spreading slowly from the forearms to the wrists due to the disproportionate weight he was forced to tote to safety.

Once behind the concrete surface Ratchet loitered for a while, staring at the unstable earth that had hungrily attempted to confine the two of them into its suffocating clutches. He took a couple of deep inhales to mollify his turmoil. Immobilising apprehension was dislodged by the recesses of his mind and crystal-clear perception slowly settled in. His shoulders relaxed and lowered to their normal level and an exhale escaped him, an action which promptly pacified his fast heartbeat.

"Um, Ratchet? I think we are safe now. Can you… put me down?" Clank's voice invaded his striped ears.

The adrenaline still flowing through his system produced a low humming in his ears and Ratchet was surprised Clank's voice had managed to penetrate it. Looking down at him, he eventually came to the realisation that he had enfolded his robot friend firmly into his arms. A slight dropping of his ears worked as an indicator of Ratchet's state of embarrassment, which Clank found rather amusing. In fact, he was making quite the effort to abstain from laughing.

An awkward laugh preceded his next words. "Yeah, uh… Sorry" he expressed hesitantly as heat was accumulated on his cheeks. He carefully positioned Clank on the ground while in the meantime he tried his best to ignore the robot's entertained expression. He almost shook his head when he reluctantly realised he would be made fun of for this sooner or later.

The sound of distant muttering travelled near them like a creek serenely flowing to their direction. As if the sound was verily of liquid substance, Ratchet followed its trail while his forest green eyes captured and preserved the familiar glint of curiosity. A wide passage twice his height came into sight and rays of light emerged from there. The refulgent beams seemed to waver and playfully scintillate to form a visual balance between the tinge of the sunset's mild orange and a fire's lurid, conceited golden colour. Ratchet's tail flinched when the pathway came into view for disburdened as he might feel the fact that there was not an escape route they could resort to in case of great danger came as a derisive revelation to him.

Clank discerned the remote track as well and was quicker in subduing the potential frustration that would surface had he pondered their dire situation too much. Overtaken by ardour to discover what lay beyond, he was gratefully released from stagnancy and rushed to the opening with such fervent eagerness Ratchet had to hasten his steps in order to catch up.

The earth's multiple surfaces were gratifyingly disturbed by phosphorescent stones that sparsely filled the area but the individual Ratchet and Clank found, also the very source of the voice they had heard, evoked much greater interest.

"I'd say _it's good to see a familiar face_ but that would be weird to say from this angle" the confounded mechanic inquired no more loudly than the sound of a rustling to suit his baffled state.

The person had his posterior turned at the heroes but soon he became distracted from his task of unclogging a pipe and veered to face them. An unexpected wave of enthusiasm made him beady-eyed as the line of his lips extended into a broad, curved smile. "Now _this_ should come in handy" said the Plumber and scrounged Ratchet's OmniWrench. He then returned to his chore unperturbed and with a newfound devotion.

Clank blinked as he found the stolidity of his acquaintance quite peculiar. "What are you doing here?" he asked in a calm manner that reflected his courteousness.

"What does it look like I'm doin'? Fixing the sewer system. It's what plumbers've been doin' for the last four thousand and fifty two years" the Plumber replied amiably though his attention was still turned to the pipe, neglecting to look at the two adventurers. He ceased for a few seconds to put a finger on his chin in uncertainty. "I think they used to sell mosquito repellents up until then."

Ratchet's racing thinking stumbled into the wall of bewilderment the Plumber's words heightened so he quickly disregarded his statement and reminded himself the reason he had come all the way there. "Zanifar is in a state of alert. Do you know anything about this _Red Sun_?" he asked alerted. His fingers slightly twitched due to the memory of the effect the gigantic, maroon globe had on whoever stood beneath its light.

"Red Sun? I saw no strange-lookin' suns when I got here" the Plumber expressed nonchalantly while using the OmniWrench to tighten a coupling of two consecutive pipes. "Octogust is a cloudy month. You can barely see the sun at this time of year."

"But Octogust was five months ago" Clank informed with lenses wide open, forming flawless circles of lucent green while his gears whirred faster in dubiety.

"I've been fixing these pipes for five months? Wouldn't you know, these Fongoids could use some lessons on unclogging" the omniscient plumber thought aloud before a knock of medium volume was produced by the oversized wrench that hit the coupling. "There, that did it. Here you go" he intoned cheerfully and handed the Lombax tool to Ratchet.

Ratchet held his melee weapon but was fast in noticing a washy brown liquid on its steel edges. His strong reluctance to try and guess what it might be made him wince, his one eye slightly more closed as a reaction to his tool's abhorrent condition. "Ugh! Great…" he dragged his last word to openly show his annoyance and began his attempt to clean it in whatever way he could figure out.

"We are looking for a way to dispose of this matter. Have you located anything that could help ward the artificial orb off?" Clank requested to know.

"No but the crystals might know."

"Pardon me" the robot felt the need to verify what he had heard, his optics lightly narrowed in curiousness "Crystals?"

"These glowing gems" the Plumber specified before leaning closer to the small Zoni. "I think they're talking to me" he confessed, his voice silent but audible enough to evade the boundaries of a whisper.

Like a naïve child Clank's mouth became agape, eyes adjusted to the shape of two radiant moons that stared at the Plumber.

"Yeah, they talk to me too" Ratchet's voice tore apart the aura of enigma caused by the Plumber's words, right after he was finished cleaning his OmniWrench. "They're telling me I need a new holo-gaming system" he went on, contemptuousness materializing in his amused tone. "Come on, Clank. There has to be something down here" he called upon his friend as he traversed the area and advanced deeper onward.

Despite the Lombax's outright disbelief, Clank's thoughts equilibrated between blissful reverie and secular logicality. All his intellectual processes of such a probability resulted in numbers that contained mainly the digit of 0 but his inquisitive spirit visualized what it would be like if crystals could really talk, only for the fun of it, and his imagination was instantly incited. While following Ratchet, he produced a silent laughter as he let the fictitious scale lean heavier on the side of blissful reverie, just for a change.

"Good luck. And watch out for talking crystals" the Plumber wished the duo and started inspecting the connecting part of the two pipes until his acquaintances' figures had walked far enough to be consumed by the weak light and the miniscule, floating grains of soil.

The gleaming gems were replaced by opaque stones adorned with small, parallel lines as though iridescent ribbons were tied around them, resembling pieces of agate. Nevertheless the area darkened significantly as though a veil had covered all lanterns and somberness settled in, brazenly resonating disparity.

Inadvertently due to the murkiness, Ratchet diverged from the main route and observed the luminescent lines of the otherwise dull stones. He watched them acquire a different hue depending on the angle he looked at them from. The obscure place and the lack of light seemed to complot to remind him of his banishment to the Golden-Razor Jungle. Ratchet had a hard time pushing away the memory, the unsettlingly limited vision and the sultry air that refused to vitalize his body were reminiscent of the forbidding cave he had fallen into while predators were restlessly hunting him down.

The shallow breath he took left his throat cold and dry and his fur beneath the silver of his armor stood on end as though under the effect of electricity. He was on the verge of believing that the big wolf-being with the ominous red eyes was behind him. Instinctively he froze on his tracks, his breathing as quiet as he could manage in fear of falling victim to treacherous movement and getting spotted by the spectre from his ordeal. The growing tension sent a numbing heat to his feet that released them from sentience and prepared him in case he would have to run.

He heard his name and instantly snapped back to reality, turning around before taking a step backwards to conceal his startle. Although plagued by disorientation for a second, his glare dissolved into relief when a pair of circular, bright green optics focused on him.

"I believe this is the right track" Clank expressed with a finger pointed at the entrance to another section of the subterranean path.

A dim yet hopeful luster extended its reach near the Zoni robot and the promise of escaping the darkness was enough to disassemble Ratchet's disorder. "Good work, pal" he uttered gratefully and proceeded to explore the rest of the underground area with Clank following close behind.

"I have been thinking" Clank persistently prevented the silence from lingering as they walked beside a few yellow crystals that were scattered on the ground. "Why would the Plumber claim that these crystals talk?"

"No idea but I wouldn't mull over it, he's a bit strange" was Ratchet's plain interpretation. He briefly admired the twinkling gems as he went on. "Do you remember how he loved to smell those sewer crystals on Aquatos?" he was quick to remember and momentarily grimaced because of the memory of the keen, unpleasant odour that prevailed in the sewer system.

"Yes but… everything he says always results in aiding us greatly in the end. Do you not find it in the least strange?" Clank inquired while remarking the gems ostensibly expecting them to produce any form of sound before he set his gaze on Ratchet to elicit a reply from him.

"It's not the same, the guy's been here for five months" Ratchet asserted slightly more loudly than before, the intensity of his voice characterised by a lack of patience. "He may have started to become a nutcase by now!"

"That is rather rude to say, even if the other person _is_ deranged" a voice out of nowhere enunciated.

Both heroes stood motionless, paralysed by their inability to determine the origin of the sound. Despite his efforts to suppress all sign of nervousness, Ratchet's tail didn't abstain from twitching. "Clank, did you hear that?"

"You heard it too?" the robot murmured, his uneasiness becoming tacit due to his immobility which made him resemble an inanimate statue.

"Over here boys, just follow my voice. Hehe _he_ hehe! That rhymed!"

On a vertical surface a partly buried sapphire could be noticed and even though it was visible only to some extent it was easy for Clank to assess its flawless shape and exquisite quality. "This is very odd" he voiced his bewilderment softly, not daring to be bolder in fear of perturbing the atmosphere. "That sounded like…" he failed to complete his thought, lost in ambivalence as his imaginary scale began to weigh even heavier on fiction's side as soon as the sight before him clearly corroborated the Plumber's words. Only that now instead of enthusiasm, apprehension was born in him.

"XJ-0461. At last we meet. I was hoping it would not be under such… bizarre circumstances" came a voice directly from the blue gemstone as it radiated an electric shade of the same colour with every word it articulated, its intensity fully depended on the volume of the creature's voice that resided in it. The bright light dimmed as soon as the speech was ended.

"It's talking?!" Ratchet drew away from the sapphire and involuntarily griped his OmniWrench with both hands, his defensive stance betraying his astonishment. Yet he kept staring at it which caused a bright blue dot to triumphantly stand out into the unique emerald green of his eyes. "Holy sh-"

"Father?" Clank called in disbelief.

"It is good to see you, son" the crystal spoke and emitted its vibrant light for another time, thus contrasting zealously with the monotonously coloured background.

Orvus' son became transfixed by wonderment. His optical lenses transformed into aqua circles as they were affected by the brilliant blue reflection dancing on the glass surfaces. It was an innate trait of him as a robot to be pleased only when he was able to acknowledge all changes and quaintness and evaluate them as non hazardous. But now, regardless of the paradoxical disclosure, Clank felt elated. He remembered the awe he felt as soon as he was brought face to face with the Great Clock's platforms. Walking on the edge of the platforms unveiled a spectacular view born by the preternatural reconcilement of concrete, floating hallways and the infinity of the astral sea, of the known and the unseen, of _science and sorcery_ as he had been told at the time of his awakening. Now the same jubilation was resurrected in him, ascending from remnants of old memories and making the function of his sensors irregular for he felt as though he was hovering right above the ground.

"But I saw you… disappear. Dr. Nefarious captured you" Ratchet spoke with an uncommon calmness which was only a result of his failing attempts to comport with the transcendental event unfolding around him. The sense of repose that dictated the torpid movements of his arms and tail was a sign of his utter surprise that made his perception blurry.

"Us, the Zoni, have the ability to teleport in times of grave danger. It works as an ultimate act of defense so to speak, but it cannot be fully controlled at will" Orvus' modulated voice travelled through a luminous aura that wavered around the crystal. "It drains most of our power so there's no guarantee it'll work. Unfortunately, it did not quite succeed in my case and I ended up here. I've been encased in this crystal for about eight years now."

In spite of the fur on Ratchet's face, mild lines appeared on the spot between his eyes caused by the furrowing of thick brown eyebrows, as if he was pierced by a sharp thorn. "I'm sorry" he murmured morosely and in a manner that gave the impression his voice could scare the mesmerizing aura away had it been louder.

"Oh, no, no. Don't be. That's just approximately enough time to make me _start_ feeling a little bit bored. If I were here for 500 years, yes that would be a problem. Things would start to get dull" the Zoni leader affirmed, the peacefulness in his words quelling the stings of guilt permeating Ratchet's chest. "Besides, this place is not so bad. The only thing that's really started to irritate me is the beeping sounds of the computer behind that big rock."

Shifting his gaze to the opposite direction the Lombax spotted a sizeable stone chunk that was distinguished due to its equiangular shape reminiscent of a rectangle, possessing all elements that could describe it as a miniature monolith. Engrossed by the purpose of a computer in a forgotten subterranean path, Ratchet rushed there to investigate.

With a tilt of his head Clank made an effort to observe the standing stone but his feet remained unmoving. One would think gravity had managed to exceed its permissible measure and gave into illicit supremacy that kept the robot fixed on his position but in reality, Orvus' presence into the sapphire was enough to bind Clank where he stood and protect the gem like a devoted sentinel.

"I was sure the Zoni would bring you to the Great Clock when I disappeared. You see, there are dangers in operating the Clock without a senior caretaker and you are the rightful successor. How come you're away from it?"

It felt like gravity now vanquished matter and extended its conquest to the atmosphere as Clank's shoulders were subsequently dragged closer to the ground by an invisible force. As though trepidation upheaved a frosty wind that burst around him, his optics slid partly shut and saturnine was his motion when he turned to look at the radiant crystal with small hands clasped together. "It is only temporary, father" he began with an unnoticeable tremor before his voice eventually steadied. Lying was not something he was fond of doing and he never thought he would lie to his father if he ever found him. "Ratchet needed my assistance on a mission, so I assigned the supervision of the Clock's operation to Sigmund" was his craven explanation.

His memory banks summoned up the time of his departure from the Great Clock, a decision easily taken when talking to a frozen phantasm of a keeper long gone. However no matter how great and honourable the reason behind his exodus was to him, he caught himself fearing his father's reaction if he learned that the fate of the universe which he had been called upon to guard was left aside for a single Lombax. Orvus never gave the impression of an authoritarian individual but the fear of reproach wielded his speech and wrung out of him words that twisted the truth, scared that any other statement would let the Zoni leader down.

"Oh, uh… Is that so?" pronounced the deity in the sapphire, though the light around it shone fainter than before.

"Clank?" a youthful voice came from behind the intricate rock, which immediately energized the robot's feet and led him to the computer in a pace more hurried than intended.

"I think there are some coordinates here" Ratchet explained as numbers and holograms flashed on the screen of the rather outdated device. He retracted his hands from the keyboard shortly when Clank approached it and undertook the gathering of clues.

"They pinpoint the location of Breegus Minor" Clank elucidated after he accomplished to decipher the numbers. "They also inform of the exact place where the Red Sun can be deactivated. But this too is the work of Tachyon" he alluded and concurrently put an index finger on the corner of the screen where the emperor's emblem was. Clank saw more than a mere icon in it. Behind the bold layers and lines, he could effortlessly conjure up the Cragmite's spiteful face deriding him and Ratchet. "I believe it is unwise to trust this information."

"Do you have any alternatives to propose?" Ratchet snapped, his abrupt question shamelessly suggesting he didn't expect a positive answer. "We can't leave the people of Zanifar helpless and this is our only lead. We need to get there fast or else we'll waste time and the Unseen Destroyer will use it to his advantage."

Seeing how potent his friend's argument was, Clank was forced to retreat. He watched Ratchet's glare reverberating fierce dispute, the disgruntled stare that emitted sparks directed straight at him and the resoluteness distorting the soft green dwelling in his usually benign gaze. Eventually, he had no choice but to fulfill his wish. "I will download the coordinates."

Once the computer had served its purpose it automatically shut down and the vacant screen turned into a caliginous looking glass that contorted their reflections.

"We cannot leave Orvus here" Clank mused with his head somewhat lowered, absorbed by indomitable perplexity and overwhelming joy for finding the benevolent Zoni leader.

"We won't" Ratchet reassured and hastily went where the light-blue gem was.

Clank followed the same route right after, developing a small distance between him and his friend. Ratchet let his melee weapon recline near him and with an overt eagerness he commenced his endeavour of releasing the guardian of time from his long-lasting seclusion. He forced his fingertips to delve into the soil around the crystal, removing the small masses of dirt that enclosed it.

"What's happening? He _he_ hehe, that tickles. Hahaha, cease what you're doing this instant" the voice implored in-between laughters that produced a light so strong it dazzled the mechanic. Ratchet shut his eyes almost entirely to shield them from the sudden bursts of gleam.

The gem eventually dispensed with the confining grasp of the earth, though tiny brown grains adhered on its pellucid exterior like a final, desperate attempt of the Zoni's former cage to cling to its captive and convince him to resign his quest for escapade. A cavity formed on the dry surface that echoed incompleteness and the apparent absence of the crystal made the environment even more prosaic.

"So where are we going?" requested the entity in the sapphire while enjoying the flight from Ratchet's hold into the open palms of his own son, who welcomed the crystal with the warmest of expressions.

"We will be heading on the surface. I believe you will enjoy the company of the Fongoids" was the robot's candid response spoken in a composed manner. "But we must carry on and stop the Unseen Destroyer."

"Unseen Destroyer?! Who is the Unseen Destroyer? Is the Universe in danger?" Orvus vociferated as the gem glowed fervently.

"There is no time to explain. Forgive me, father" was Clank's antecedent apology as he opened the inlet to his storing compartment and hurriedly positioned Orvus there.

"Kids these days. I'm never going to understand them. And never is a _really_ long time for me" he seized the chance to complain before being led into the recess.

" _Ratchet, come in_ " a jittery solicitation disrupted the static silence in the recipient's comm-link.

"Tal? Is everything okay?" Ratchet halted and looked at the caveway. The air was beginning to feel stifling possibly due to the dread that acquired form in the tremor of Talwyn's voice.

" _Finally_ " she sighed. " _I've been trying to contact you. Jasindu is under attack. Cragmite armies are already pillaging Kerchu City. And Aphelion contacted me. She says that this planet you crash-landed on in this Astarte Galaxy is transmitting a distress signal._ "

"Zanimal!" dismay took shape in the crescendo of Ratchet's exclamation.

" _I've already sent troops to defend Jasindu but… I don't know if I can do the same for Zanimal. I can't afford to send rangers to die._ "

"Talwyn, we have to help Zanimal. I can't just abandon them. I'll go there myself if necessary" Ratchet retorted, viridescent orbs sending brief glimpses overhead that begged daylight to invade and shatter the suffocating dimness.

" _No, your objective is to get rid of the Red Sun. I'll see if there_ _are troops available for Zanimal, I promise_ " Talwyn argued. " _Did you find anything?_ "

"We only know that the Red Sun can be deactivated on Breegus Minor" the Lombax informed remaining undisturbed by the audible steps of his friend scurrying next to him.

" _I'm calling my ship to the cave. I'll meet you there._ "

"Where is the Unseen Destroyer?" Ratchet urged before his communication with the Markazian could be cut to an end.

" _I don't know which of the assaults he's leading or whether he's even participating in any of them._ "

With a heavy sough Ratchet struggled to elude the feeling of the space around him narrowing, walls closing in to smother all life out of him and leave him to become part of the impending desolation, one with the wreckage. Another inner strife lost led his hopeless gaze at the ground. "Okay. We'll talk when Clank and I get there" he notified the Captain of Polaris' military forces before breaking the link.

Unease sank in when the warbot defect encountered Ratchet's frame, a motionlessness that separated him from vitality and forced his normally radiant eyes to part with their proud shine.

"What are we going to do?" Ratchet mustered the courage to slightly raise his forlorn gaze when Clank stood in front of him. "I can't help everyone. This is more than we can take."

"The odds have always been against us. But we manage to stand victorious. This time will be no different" Clank dared to claim with a bold defiance of the ruination clouding their clear judgment.

Even if it was to a little extent, Clank's words made the walls begin to collapse, the air resign its effort to asphyxiate the Lombax and daylight to chase the murk away. A soft smile cleared the bleak look off his face and Clank was filled with relief when he witnessed the flare of determination in his friend's eyes rekindle.

* * *

 **A/N: I hope I portrayed the Plumber and Orvus right. Nevertheless it was fun writing as them. Let me know if they were alright.**

 **Thank you for reading. Until next time!**


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